So the trailer is toxic

[CLB]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20165754/#storyContinued

As if FEMA "issuing" these to us has not been enough of a cluster **** already...now this.

 

[RogueLeader]

It was mentioned also on CapBlog:
http://capblog.typepad.com/capblog/2007/08/fema-suspends-u.html

[isuhawkeye]

the hazards associated with these trailers were well documented before they were offered up. 

National news outlets have been doing stories for months. 

By the way.  Your not planning on living in the thing are you?

[Pylon]

By the way.  Your not planning on living in the thing are you?

Heh, hopefully nobody really has!   

[SARMedTech]

Im doing a field internship with FEMA now and most employees and experts think these things should just be buried or burned. They are definitely not fit for habitation and the ones I have seen are falling apart like they are made of cardboard.

[CLB]

Now I'm so totally confused on what we should do with these things that I really don't know what to do.  I've asked the higher ups for pics on how to mount the equipment...was told not to modify it in any way.  Yet the same day I receive a bracket to mount to the outside for an antenna.  Apparently a 40' retractable mast is coming very soon. 

Now we're not allowed to even go in the thing because of the formaldehyde (sp?).  Nevermind I lived in a new off the lot 40' Bounder Class A motorhome for 2 years and have asthma.....because some crackpot news ogginization breaks a story about a few people suffering from exposure...we cant even go in it until this blows over. 

Maybe I got these people's trailer....there was a woman's razor and a bottle of baby lotion in the medicine cabinet.  Disgusting to say the least. 


isuhawkeye:  I wouldn't live in this thing if they paid me.     

As of now I don't want to even look at the thing....

[Skyray]

I am probably going to die of some horrible disease when I am ninety, but in the early 70s I bought a travel trailer that had a funny smell.  The dealer told me that was because they preserved the wood in it with formaldehyde.  I lived in that puppy for a year because my little piece of ground didn't have utilities, and then I used it extensively for vacation travel for the next twenty years until Hurricane Andrew decapitated it.  So far, no ill effects.

[JohnKachenmeister]

I drink, I fly light aircraft, I drive a Harley-Davidson motorcyle, and I formerly had a job where I had to drive real fast through traffic to get to a place where people were shooting at each other.

And I'm supposed to worry about chemical exposure in a trailer that I might spend 1-2 days a year in?

I'm WAY more worried about jealous husbands.

[mikeylikey]

Wow....I brought up this same issue months ago, and everyone bashed me.  Now that people are getting sick......I say "Guess you should have listened to me". 

The trailers themselves can be "aired out", but needs to be done by professionals.  I think I saw on Dateline that it cost one family with a toxic trailer $4,000!  Then they complained about it saying that the cost was cutting into the profit they made from the FEMA check they received after Katrina.

[JC004]

Didn't the National Commander & Co. stay in these at hawk last month?  Great, our next AP story is we made some generals/colonels sick...   

[Matt]

Didn't the National Commander & Co. stay in these at hawk last month?  Great, our next AP story is we made some generals/colonels sick...   

That could explain some things...

[pixelwonk]

They had one with a handsome wrap on it for the recruiting booth at EAA.  the air blows real cold in those trailers!  I myself was in and out of one all week, printing off the closest squadrons to prospective members, with no ill effects. 

In fact, my sensory perception went way up since then.  I can see swirling colors and auras coming off everybody's heads.

Oh, and the ladies really love my facial tic. They say it's cute.

[JC004]

They had one with a handsome wrap on it for the recruiting booth at EAA.  the air blows real cold in those trailers!  I myself was in and out of one all week, printing off the closest squadrons to prospective members, with no ill effects. 

In fact, my sensory perception went way up since then.  I can see swirling colors and auras coming off everybody's heads.

Oh, and the ladies really love my facial tic. They say it's cute.

that reminds me...part of the marketing plan is van wraps </OT>

[MIKE]

The company my dad works for does those.

[mikeylikey]

Did every Wing get at least one trailer?  I know Hawk MTN has 8 of them just sitting on the side of a MTN if anyone would like one.  I just heard the PAWG Wing Commander will rent the trailers out if any CAP group needs one for an activity.  I am so glad PAWG is finding ways to make $$, while at the same time possibly killing people. 

[docspur]

PA people know how to do that...been doing it for a long time... ie: philly cheese steak & lebanon bologna.  Your arteries scream in terror while you are enjoying yourself...and they make money.

[JC004]

PA people know how to do that...been doing it for a long time... ie: philly cheese steak & lebanon bologna.  Your arteries scream in terror while you are enjoying yourself...and they make money.

mmm

[fyrfitrmedic]

PA people know how to do that...been doing it for a long time... ie: philly cheese steak & lebanon bologna.  Your arteries scream in terror while you are enjoying yourself...and they make money.

Don't forget scrapple!

[SarDragon]

PA people know how to do that...been doing it for a long time... ie: philly cheese steak & lebanon bologna.  Your arteries scream in terror while you are enjoying yourself...and they make money.

Don't forget scrapple!

Gonna be gettin' some of that fine stuff next week! MM-MM-good!

[Skyray]

Scrapple?  Is that anything like Chittlin's?

[JC004]

Scrapple?  Is that anything like Chittlin's?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrapple     

[JC004]

PA people know how to do that...been doing it for a long time... ie: philly cheese steak & lebanon bologna.  Your arteries scream in terror while you are enjoying yourself...and they make money.

Don't forget scrapple!

Gonna be gettin' some of that fine stuff next week! MM-MM-good!

You are coming to invade us?

[Skyray]

Scrapple?  Is that anything like Chittlin's?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrapple     

Sheesh!  That's worsen chittlin's.

[fyrfitrmedic]

Scrapple?  Is that anything like Chittlin's?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrapple     

Sheesh!  That's worsen chittlin's.

Naah - fry up the scrapple until it's just crispy on the outside and put on just a little ketchup... good stuff, even if it does all but cause coronary vasospasm at the first bite 

Some scrapple-related recipes: http://www.habbersettscrapple.com/news.html

[SarDragon]

PA people know how to do that...been doing it for a long time... ie: philly cheese steak & lebanon bologna.  Your arteries scream in terror while you are enjoying yourself...and they make money.

Don't forget scrapple!

Gonna be gettin' some of that fine stuff next week! MM-MM-good!

You are coming to invade us?

Flying into Philly Int'l, and spending our time in So Jer, within listening distance of the airport.

[JC004]

PA people know how to do that...been doing it for a long time... ie: philly cheese steak & lebanon bologna.  Your arteries scream in terror while you are enjoying yourself...and they make money.

Don't forget scrapple!

Gonna be gettin' some of that fine stuff next week! MM-MM-good!

You are coming to invade us?

Flying into Philly Int'l, and spending our time in So Jer, within listening distance of the airport.

I'm sorry to hear that.  I'm not far from that miserable airport myself.  Also, try not to clog your heart too much. 

[fyrfitrmedic]

PA people know how to do that...been doing it for a long time... ie: philly cheese steak & lebanon bologna.  Your arteries scream in terror while you are enjoying yourself...and they make money.

Don't forget scrapple!

Gonna be gettin' some of that fine stuff next week! MM-MM-good!

You are coming to invade us?

Flying into Philly Int'l, and spending our time in So Jer, within listening distance of the airport.

My condolences  I work about two miles from PHL; we keep the windows and doors closed so that we don't get drowned out by departure flights.

[Skyray]

You're not going to last long enough to lose your hearing if you keep eating artery blockers and carnage.

[SarDragon]

My condolences  I work about two miles from PHL; we keep the windows and doors closed so that we don't get drowned out by departure flights.

We're on the approach side of things. We can see mom's house out the left side of the plane as we fly down the river on final. When we moved in there in '59, the base to final turn was right over the house. Don't recall when the approach changed.

[fyrfitrmedic]

You're not going to last long enough to lose your hearing if you keep eating artery blockers and carnage.

This is why I eat scrapple all of three times a year at most; that just makes it even more of a treat 

As for my hearing, I have twenty years of siren exposure to take care of that for me so far.

[Skyray]

The beautiful thing about the jet notch is that it is right in the middle of the female voice range.  I can hear you just fine, but my wife has to shout.

[JohnKachenmeister]

Explosions, small arms fire, airplane noise, and sirens have destroyed my hearing of the female voice ranges.  I can't hear a thing my wife says, and the higher her frustration octaves go, the less I can make out.

Life is good.

Hearing loss is proof that God has forgiven Adam for his Original Sin.

[RogueLeader]

Explosions, small arms fire, airplane noise, and sirens have destroyed my hearing of the female voice ranges.  I can't hear a thing my wife says, and the higher her frustration octaves go, the less I can make out.

Life is good.

Hearing loss is proof that God has forgiven Adam for his Original Sin.

Huh!!! gotta speak up. . . my hearing isn't as good as it once was. . . .

[SARMedTech]

Explosions, small arms fire, airplane noise, and sirens have destroyed my hearing of the female voice ranges.  I can't hear a thing my wife says, and the higher her frustration octaves go, the less I can make out.

Life is good.

Hearing loss is proof that God has forgiven Adam for his Original Sin.

One of EMS services I work for gives headsets with microphones to everyone except the driver and I always wear earplugs if I am in the box running code 3. Ive got a nice pair that let me hear my patient but drown out the siren.

[SAR-EMT1]

Explosions, small arms fire, airplane noise, and sirens have destroyed my hearing of the female voice ranges.  I can't hear a thing my wife says, and the higher her frustration octaves go, the less I can make out.

Life is good.

Hearing loss is proof that God has forgiven Adam for his Original Sin.

One of EMS services I work for gives headsets with microphones to everyone except the driver and I always wear earplugs if I am in the box running code 3. Ive got a nice pair that let me hear my patient but drown out the siren.

Drown out a siren but allow you to hear a pt?
I would LOVE to know about these.

[SARMedTech]

Explosions, small arms fire, airplane noise, and sirens have destroyed my hearing of the female voice ranges.  I can't hear a thing my wife says, and the higher her frustration octaves go, the less I can make out.

Life is good.

Hearing loss is proof that God has forgiven Adam for his Original Sin.

One of EMS services I work for gives headsets with microphones to everyone except the driver and I always wear earplugs if I am in the box running code 3. Ive got a nice pair that let me hear my patient but drown out the siren.

Drown out a siren but allow you to hear a pt?
I would LOVE to know about these.

Yeah...they are called sound dampers. There the ones that look like hearing aides in your ears. What you can do is dial them in so that noise above a certain decibel level is eliminated or at least greatly reduced, but below that level yoy can still here. I wear mine doing TacMed, especially when we toss a flash-bang. I can hear it but just barely, but I can leave them in and still hear my Captain when he talks to me and am able to do a post entry med check on the guys on the team and am able to take out the dampers. Obviously you couldnt take a BP or listen to lung sounds with them in, you get my point.

Check out COPSPLUS.com...I think they carry them for police and military use. Or you just google "sound dampers" and should be able to get them no problem. I paid about $30 for mine but they have been worth every penny. I even pop them in when I am standing there waiting for the extrication team to get done with all of their loud toys. Ive got about 50% hearing loss in my left ear and dont want to lose any more if I can help it.

If you cant find them, let me know and I will try to remember where I got mine.

[Major Carrales]

I learned today that our GROUP has one of the trailers.

Is this really a major problem for what we use them for?

[mikeylikey]

^ No not really.  Air the thing out and you should be good to go.  A few fans for about 3 hours with the door and windows open should just about do it.  It also helps get rid of the musty smell since it was most likely from the 2002 production lot.

[SARMedTech]

One of the biggest problems with the trailers that I have seen so far is the presence of black mold and that cant be aired out and can cause a whole host of health problems, many of them fatal, particularly respiratory related syndromes. If my choice were the formaldehyde or the black mold, Id take the formaldehyde.

[ELTHunter]

Our Group received one of these trailers.  We had planned to equip it with VHF, HF and airband comm equipment as a mobile command center.  We were told recently that the trailers were subject to recall by FEMA and that we couldn't make any permenant changes to them such as drilling holes and mounting equipment.  Since these trainers, as I understand them, are basically camping trailers with beds, countertops, etc. in them, they won't make the most ideal command center without modification.

Anybody else heard anything about such prohibitions?  What's the deal, are we just storing these things for FEMA until they need them again?

[mikeylikey]

Never heard about a recall!  In fact, you can do whatever you want inside, if they recall it you will only loose your hard work and time.  I am sure it is on of your higher ups who doesn't want to invest their time or hard work that started the "recall don't touch trailer" rumor.

[SAR-EMT1]

But there are honest to God Health issues at play here. People HAVE died from spending time in them. (One was a boy who spent the night with a friend, he didnt live there by any means)

If CAP or anyone else is to use these things, then strip them to the frame (and tear out the floor) and check for mold - make sure to have a respirator on when you do, a dust mask wont cut it -

[mikeylikey]

^  If this is the case......we need to ask why was the Federal Government trying to kill hurricane victims?  Conspiracy?  I think so!  If anything someone should go to jail......that someone being the CEO/corporate tools of the firm that sold FEMA the trailers.

[JohnKachenmeister]

1 kid spent 1 night in a trailer and died?

Then why isn't EVERYBODY who lived there dead?

I'm sorry, but over the years I have learned to become a bit skeptical when pseudo-scientists make wild claims of "Health hazards," then cite anecdotal evidence in support of their claim.