Tuesday, May 27, 2008

FEMA may kill more Louisianna residents than Katrina

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Research has shown that trailers issued to Katrina victims by FEMA contained formaldehyde fumes up to five times the safe level. As a result many children who lived in these trailers for extended periods of time have developed respitory problems, including asthma. Doctors fear that many children will also develop cancer later in life.

FEMA knew about this potential danger in 2006 but did not start pushing to get residents out of trailers until February of this year.

From AP: "It's tragic that when people most need the protection, they are actually going from one disaster to a health disaster that might be considered worse," said Christopher De Rosa, assistant director for toxicology and risk assessment at the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, an arm of the CDC. "Given the longer-term implications of exposure that went on for a significant period of time, people should be followed through time for possible effects."

Is FEMA not one of the worst relief and assistance agencies known to man? Some may call me extreme, but I really can't help but consider that this neglect is primarily due to the poverty and race of the affected residents of Katrina. I cannot see this happening in a middle-class suburb of mostly white residents.

1 comment:

Tonya said...

u should do an update :)