FEMA officials said that the residents of these trailers will be transferred as quickly as possible into hotels and apartments because exposing them to formaldehyde makes them sick. They said that transferring them will be beneficial for those who already have symptoms of respiratory illnesses such as the children, elderly persons or occupants.
Formaldehyde is a gas at room temperature. When exposed to this, it can cause burning eyes and/or nose, coughing and difficulty breathing. It is also shown to be carcinogenic - causing nasal and nasopharyngeal cancer and possibly leukemia also.
CDC director Dr. Julie Gerberding said that higher temperatures may cause formaldehyde levels to go up. She also added that the high levels were found in December and January and that the people should be relocated before summer.
"The real issue is not what it will cost but how fast we can move people out." said FEMA administrator David Paulison. The FEMA will be recording and monitoring the health of children who lives in the FEMA trailers and mobile homes. They were also giving information about the formaldehyde on every resident of the trailers.
Louisiana has 25,162 occupied FEMA trailers and mobile homes - 137 in Lafayette Parish, 100 in Iberia and 66 in Vermilion.
FEMA and CDC established toll-free hotlines about formaldehyde concerns at 1-866-562-2381 and for housing concerns at 1- 800-462-7585 or people can go to www.fema.gov.
