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The best news in the report is the trailers were substandard.
That’s good news — or at least, welcome news — because for a year FEMA has been trying to get residents to believe these trailers and provisions were somehow adequate. At times, the agency insinuated that residents were just looking for handouts, freebies and gimmes; that they weren’t using common sense when living in these temporary and cramped conditions.
But this new report, published May 25, suggests that many of the homes were at best hurriedly built, if not shoddily made.
Even more alarming, the report indicates that many of the trailers built had subpar building materials that could have been loaded with formaldehyde. Federal officials have scrambled to point the finger at the various manufacturers who rushed to fill the orders from a government willing to pay any price for any trailer. While FEMA officials would like to lay the blame at the feet of a few manufacturers who clearly cut corners to keep up with demand, it shouldn’t go unnoticed that FEMA only gave manufacturers less than a page of conditions and codes that they required.
That’s around 25 lines for housing that has 20,000 parts on average, according to the Washington Post.
The Winona Daily News has chronicled the problems with these trailers, many of which came from the hurricane stricken southern regions to serve as temporary housing for those displaced by the August floods. The paper told of shoddy trailers, strange smells and outrageous heating bills because the shelter was so flimsy. FEMA insisted it had done all it could.
But the problem, in this case, happened long before the first raindrop ever fell last August.
FEMA, in a hurry to correct what can only be the colossal failure of responding to Katrina, rushed to do something — anything. It bought a load of trailers, sometimes overpaying. Instead of spending the tax dollars wisely, FEMA seemed to buy anything it could and at any price.
The unfortunate truth is that some of the people who trusted and needed the government’s help were indeed victimized again, as health problems continue for those who lived in these portable hovels. Formaldehyde is a carcinogen and has been linked to a host of respiratory problems.
Instead of taking the blame, FEMA has pointed to manufacturers saying they are the ones who have taken advantage of the situation. But with so few guidelines, the government got exactly what it asked for.
FEMA is charged with responding to disasters and protecting those victimized. It rings hollow when an agency the size of FEMA tries to shirk responsibility. Katrina wasn’t the first time the federal government had to respond to disaster. And it’s not the first time the government has dealt with contractors, manufacturers or suppliers. Now, folks from Louisiana to Minnesota to California may be exposed to deadly chemicals, or may have spent precious money heating homes that were not built to last, and not even built to a reasonable code.
It would be easy to forget about this, say it’s floodwater under the bridge. Yet if our federal leaders — our congressional delegation — doesn’t continue to investigate this matter and hold FEMA accountable, it will simply mean this same kind of problematic behavior will happen again and again and eventually wind up in a community near you.
The sad thing is: Everyone is victimized in this situation.
Those who needed a home were forced to accept mediocre, if not poor homes. And the taxpayers paid a premium price for terrible trailers.
We’re the ones left holding the bill, while no one seems to be taking responsibility.
By Darrell Ehrlick, editor, on behalf of the Winona Daily News editorial board, which also includes publisher Rusty Cunningham and online editor Jerome Christenson. To comment, call (507) 453-3507 or send e-mail to letters@winonadailynews.com.
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