FEMA seeks immunity from suits over trailer fumes Save Email Print
Posted: 6:06 AM Jul 24, 2008
 Last Updated: 6:06 AM Jul 24, 2008
 Reporter: The Associated Press
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The Federal Emergency Management Agency is asking a federal judge for immunity from lawsuits filed on behalf of hurricane victims who claim they were exposed to dangerous fumes in government-issued trailers.

Lawyers for victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita accuse FEMA of negligence for sheltering them in trailers with elevated levels of formaldehyde. Many of the trailers were built by four Elkhart, Indiana companies -- Gulf Stream Coach, Keystone RV, Pilgrim International and Forest River.

A government attorney told U.S. District Judge Kurt Engelhardt that FEMA's decision to use the trailers shouldn't be subject to second-guessing by the court. A plaintiff's attorney argued that FEMA failed to follow federal mandates to provide victims with safe housing. It was unclear when the judge will rule.
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Posted by: kc9ixv Location: the late great u.s.a. on Aug 4, 2008 at 12:57 AM
mistake #1 living in a flood plain. mistake #2 trusting your government. short but simple.
Posted by: s Location: bremen on Jul 28, 2008 at 03:39 PM
my family lived in a travel trailer in texas for a year. We never had any problems with fumes. Very rarely would we open the windows due the it being hot/humid down there. these people were given a place to live for free and now they are trying to milk the taxpayers for more money. If they wouldn't have been living below sea level maybe they wouldn't be in this predicament.
Posted by: Someone Location: Mishawaka on Jul 25, 2008 at 08:20 PM
hey todd, i hope u lose everything in a hurricane so u can say "oh i should have been more responsible with my stuff"
Posted by: Todd Location: South Bend on Jul 24, 2008 at 08:44 PM
I am torn...on one hand people should be more responsible for themselves and quit relying so much on the government to bail them out. Common sense tells you that your home will flood at some point if you build it under sea level. On the other hand, FEMA messed up big and should be responsible for their actions or lack of. Particle or OSB plywood should never be used in a mobile house period. Yes, they are strong woods...but they do not react well with water over a period of time. The manufactures need to quit cutting corners like this when in reality only save 20.00 per unit or so of that size.
Posted by: josh Location: goshen on Jul 24, 2008 at 08:22 PM
everybody is totally missing the obvious facts here, there is NO government standards for fromaldyhide emissions in rv campers, how can manufactures be accountable to making units when they adheared to the standards they were required to... we make campers, not permanent homes... we followed ALL of the guidlines required, i've worked every day in RV for 6 years, and there is NOTHING wrong with me, i'm not dying from poision gas, and i have the sawdust from this stuff on me every day... this is just a way for the pathetic people out there to make more money.. if you want to blame someone blame the people who won't get a job, or the govt. who won't get people out of these trailers after 3 years... and don't tell me there isn't work, they could all be joining the work crews that are going around cleaning up the flood damage, but they are sitting on their butts in their free trailers. not working to better their situation like they should be... they want another free paycheck is all
Posted by: Jay Location: SB on Jul 24, 2008 at 04:00 PM
A full refund is in order here. Give them exactly what they deserve. NOTHING! Start booting these generation to generation of Users off the give away programs. Work or starve. If they were animals in the wild they would be extinct, they would have been eaten while sitting on their butts waiting for another animal to deliver the free food.
Posted by: Farmer Frank Location: Rural Marshall County on Jul 24, 2008 at 03:14 PM
Lawyers and politicians......dont get no better than this. One tries to help, the other tries to get rich. Looking at the stench holes that some of the people lived in before the storm, we may have given them at least one chance in life to make a positive change....to get away from that area. Its just too bad that some of them took temporary housing as an entitlement to use for years. It stinks in the cow barn, and chicken coop, but thats how we make money, we put up with it, but dont dwell there any longer than we have to. If your house is blown away , and you dont have anything left, why would you just stay in trailer town for months and months? No ambition. Next time maybe we should pitch tents, feed em soup, and encourage them to get off their butts and help themselves.....
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 24, 2008 at 02:28 PM
They were warned to leave and didn't care. No one had to give them free housing, but we went to work and paid taxes for them to live. Now they are filing a lawsuit??? If someone is starving and I give them a tomatoe or jalapeno and they get salminella should they be able to sue me??? Same principle, no one had to help them.
Posted by: stella on Jul 24, 2008 at 02:19 PM
Oh my goodness, WE did not get THEM out of there, WE not did warn them enough to leave , WE did not financially pay for them to get out of there, WE did not stop people from stealing from each other in the dome, WE did not stop people from hurting each other in the dome, We provided them with trailers to return to live in wet lands for free. I can not beleive that WE would have to be sued to give them money because the trailers werent good enough. So come on "WE the hardworking, tax paying, never ask for free anything people" lets just give them the money and save us some time.
Posted by: Rabid Irish Fan Location: Standing Tall on Jul 24, 2008 at 01:41 PM
What a bunch of poo, FEMA is trying to shelter themselves, wonder why. Is it because they new the problems? FEMA knew of the problems and did NOTHING to stop people from living in them. Furthermore, when those units got to thier "holding" areas, a FEMA inspector was there to check ALL units incoming and if there was a problem the unit was not accepted. I know this to be a fact. The levels they say are in these units would have caused an inspector to get out of that trailer within a couple of minutes. I have been inside a trailer fresh out of the factory. When they sit in the "yard" before shipping and you go inside one you would get hit with the vapors or "flash off" as we used to call it. The way dealers delat with it was to air it out for a few hours, problem solved. This "flash off" is not common anymore because most companies have changed the materials used to build them. FEMA is trying to deploy it's umbrella before the S### storm hits, sorry FEMA, too late.
Posted by: Debby Location: Elkhart on Jul 24, 2008 at 12:41 PM
I am not excusing the manufacturers, but if everyone sues the manufacturers, then decisions to purchase mean nothing. There is always implicit duty to read the contents, instructions, and warnings. Additionally, there was probably a purchase contract between FEMA and the manufacturers which must come into play. Responsibility is responsibility. On the other side of the coin, how can suing be the answer to anything? Do you feel better? Why not just ask the government or the manufacturers to pay?
Posted by: chn Location: michiana on Jul 24, 2008 at 12:08 PM
shut down the border and put all these unemployed, living off the goverment, welfare seekers to work in the place of the illegals! why should good people have to pay for those who refuse to pay and instead find every way possible to live off the goverment?!!! MAKE THESE PEOPLE WORK ALREADY!!! this fema trailer thing is just another way for them to get money and not get off their sorry butts and work. sorry but i dont feel sorry for people that REFUSE to work. i suggest next time let them fend for themselves. that may sound harsh to some people but i work for a living and always have no matter how much i hated the job i had or work i was doing, these people can to.
Posted by: sad Location: 2say it on Jul 24, 2008 at 11:22 AM
the folks who are filing these lawsuits were encouraged by ambulance chasers- the affected folks were lower education and lower income and were pursuaded to make their lives better by suing for getting sick (probably from the disease post katrina-not the formaldehyde) if you want to crucify someone, head for those ambulance chasing sorry excuses for lawyers...
Posted by: Tracy on Jul 24, 2008 at 10:51 AM
It's a sad situation overall for everybody involved. The people down south probably couldn't afford to buy a "new" home, so they resorted to living in the FEMA-issued trailers which was probably their only choice. It is very sad that they got sick from living in these trailers long-term. I think the sarcasm is uncalled for. Try putting yourself in their shoes. They are people too just like me and you.
Posted by: Anonymous Location: Goshen on Jul 24, 2008 at 10:16 AM
You know, this is a bunch of crap. If we wouldn't have built the trailers fast enough, they would have sued. If the victims would have had to wait for them to be inspected, they would have sued and complained about the government not taking care of them. I really don't think you will ever be able to please anyone that was involved or experienced the hurricanes. Forever complaining and trying to sue someone. They are looking for their get rich quick deal. Maybe they should have built tee-pee like the indians. but i'm sure they would find fault in that too.
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 24, 2008 at 09:58 AM
Have you ever been to New Orleans Anon from Elkhart? These TEMPORARY trailers are probably less of a hazard than the homes many of these people lived in prior to the hurricane. But, since the government is involved, there is an endless supply of money to distribute to these people (that is sarcasm). These units were intended to be TEMPORARY and not long term.
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 24, 2008 at 09:49 AM
The next time the govt should send carboard boxes. I say we should not use federal money to rebuild New Orleans. It's a toilet bowl.
Posted by: Anonymous Location: elkhart on Jul 24, 2008 at 08:44 AM
thats the govt M.O. rather its state or federal that is their fall back cushion. plead ignorance and let other people take the fall. great govt isnt it?
Posted by: s Location: bremen on Jul 24, 2008 at 07:49 AM
next time a hurricane goes to new orleans, missippi let them fend for themselves. find their own homes!! Give them people and inch and they will take you to the cleaners.
Posted by: Alan Location: Elkhart on Jul 24, 2008 at 07:43 AM
Next time send them tents.
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