Greg Gerber posted on November 10, 2008 05:42
BEAUMONT, Texas -- Two months after the fact, many Southeast Texans are still living in tents in their yards from the devastation of Hurricane Ike.
R. David Paulison, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency held a press conference at the FEMA Area Field Office in Beaumont Nov. 6 to discuss area housing needs.
Paulison announced he could not in good conscience place people into travel trailers knowing they may contain formaldehyde. Instead, the federal agency opted to go with a mobile home and/or an apartment program.
He said placing the mobile homes on some residents' lots are a problem and FEMA is trying to get them in place as quickly as possible.
"It's our number one priority," Paulison said. "We're giving our people all the tools we need. This is serious and we're going to make sure it happens. I understand some people don't want to leave home. There are apartments available, but some say they are too far away. We want to work work with the people who want to stay at home."
Paulison admitted since there is a shortage of apartments available in the Golden Triangle, the closest available units are in the Houston area. He added the mobile home program is now "clicking" in spite of a slow start with 92 set up last Wednesday.
"We're going door to door to ask people if they need help. We're getting the mobile homes up as fast as possible and we'll continue at that pace until we're finished," Paulison said. "We now have 850 on the ground with a hundred more everyday in two months. We're going as fast as they are delivered here. Everybody wants it yesterday. It's difficult to make it happen."
One reporter asked what could had been done differtly. Paulison said FEMA depended strictly on the travel trailer program until it wasn't feasible and switched to the mobile homes and apartments.
Another reporter asked if a hurricane hit tomorrow, what would FEMA do differently. Paulison said they would probably ensure the travel trailers are formaldehyde free.
"There's no excuses; it should had happened faster. We'll have more meetings and media press conferences in the future," he said.
Paulison concluded the press conference when a reporter commented everyone knew about the formaldehyde problem in the trailers after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Peter Lembessis, FEMA public information officer, added FEMA should be the last resort after a disaster and residents should rely on county and state aid first.
"We have the organization already in place," Lembessis said. "It's been a learning experience."
SOURCE: Port Arthur News