Monday, August 14, 2006

FEMA--still the cause of multiple problems

A fleur-de-lis flag flies on Magazine Street in New Orleans

The story in New Orleans is still FEMA.

94% of FEMA trailers tested for formaldyhide have indoor levels in excess of EPA safety standards. Now there are obvious questions: Did FEMA know about this? If not, did it ever occur to FEMA to buy trailers that met HUD standards for houses? Has there been any additional testing?

Six months ago, a group of disabled citizens filed a lawsuit against FEMA because they could not get temporary housing that conformed to their needs. As if that weren't bad enough, now there is a question about the contract process: The process is extremely brief and unusual, and bidders are presented with contradictory specifications.

Then there is the matter of the keys. The locks on up to 118,000 trailers have to be replaced because it has been discovered that the same key can open multiple trailers.

2 Comments:

Maybe France should have kept Louisiana.

By Anonymous Anonymous, at 4:15 AM  

I think this is more a case of England should have kept the colonies. FEMA is matched in ineptitude, negligence and arrogance only by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

By Blogger Diane, at 2:28 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home