FEMA Swears Off RVs

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is finally calling it quits with recreational vehicles. In the continuing saga of formaldehyde in emergency housing, FEMA has made the decision that apparently the troubles are more than they're worth.

After the Centers for Disease Control revealed they found toxic fume levels in FEMA provided trailers at rates five times the level normally found in stick-built homes, the health agency recommended hurricane survivors move out of their reeking residences.

Swamped in controversy, FEMA says it will never use trailers again as emergency housing shelters. Just where masses of homeless folks will go in another "Katrina"-like disaster is unclear. For more information, visit news station KATC's website.

Congress Accuses FEMA of Formaldehyde Flippancy

Just when you thought you'd heard the last of the FEMA disaster RV debacle, Congress steps in with yet another chapter to add to the saga.

Democratic party members on the House Science and Technology subcommittee have sent a tersely worded letter to the director of the US Homeland Security Department -- the "head office" -- over the Federal Emergency Management Agency. In the letter, the congressmen said that FEMA had, "ignored, hid and manipulated government research on the potential impact of long-term exposure to formaldehyde" on Katrina and Rita victims now living in FEMA trailers.

The congressmen say they don't trust research done by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, commissioned by FEMA for its own use. They allege FEMA spun the information in such a way to relieve the anxiety of those living in FEMA provided recreational vehicles and emergency trailers, while not actually looking at the big picture of long-term effects of formaldehyde exposure.

FEMA was quick to react: An agency spokesman said, "FEMA did not suppress or inappropriately influence any report." Rather, the agency claims it simply focussed on the short term and gave advice on how to avoid toxic exposure to formaldehyde fumes.

We recently posted information on a new FEMA "buyback" program, wherein the agency will refund money to those who purchased surplus FEMA RVs.

FEMA Offers Buyback on Formaldehyde Trailers

The saga of the FEMA Formaldehyde Flap Continues unabated. The latest in the series of news the RV industry hates to hear is that Uncle Sam is offering to buy back trailers it sold both to hurricane survivors and "surplus" units it auctioned between July of 2006 and July 2007.

Nearly 11,000 surplus units went out over the auction block at an average price of just a little less than $7,000. At the same time, the emergency management agency sold another 864 trailers directly to hurricane survivors. Because of health issues thought to be related to the presence of formaldehyde fumes in the units, FEMA says it will refund the full purchase price of these RVs until this July. FEMA says it will notify purchasers by mail of the option, and buyers will have 60 days to respond. Buy-backs are only available to those who bought their rig directly from the government.

For more information on the program, check out FEMA's website.

FEMA Formaldehyde Fiasco: 'RV Industry Got Greedy'

While rumblings are still heard about "toxic RVs" sent to Hurricane Katrina victims by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), a poll of RV industry insiders indicates most feel the RV industry dodged a bullet. Nevertheless, some interesting comments surfaced, not all of which paint a pretty picture.

While the majority of respondents to a poll taken by trade magazine RV Business said the adverse publicity generated by reports of health problems created by formaldehyde in FEMA supplied trailers might have created "perception problems," they resoundingly feel the issue had not affected sales of "off the lot" trailers.

As might be expected, a lot of emotion was tied up in the responses of those whose livelihoods might have been adversely affected. The media took plenty of fire: “I do not appreciate the light that the RV Industry has been placed,” said a manufacturer. “I think there are other factors and not just the RV industry to blame (for reports of respiratory problems in trailer residents).”

Politics too, came into play, according to at least one respondent: “Our industry answered a call from the government to the best of our ability. Many manufacturers stopped producing anything else,” stated a member of the manufacturing sector. “I see the main thrust of this as ambulance chasing and greed as well as another opportunity for the Democrats to embarrass the Bush Administration. There is not another industry that would be able to react as quickly with so many units and as cost effective.”

Interestingly, one consultant pointed the finger back inside: “Because the [RV] industry was in a downturn, it got greedy when making trailers for the government. Now it is going to pay for this greed in the future as more lawsuits are filed on other RVs in addition to the FEMA RVs.”

Photo: FEMA

The Return of the Embalmed RV

About a month ago we ran a piece regarding alleged high levels of formaldehyde in FEMA commissioned RVs sent for Katrina disaster relief. In that story we said, "The question for all of us could be: What levels of formaldehyde are present in regular production line RV models? Have you ever had your RV tested?" Our questions got plenty of backlash. Mind you, the story was primarily directed to disaster relief trailers.

Interestingly, ABC News found the FEMA-Formaldehyde issue big enough to take on for the rest of the RV industry. In their story, Embalmed in Your RV: Formaldehyde Poisons Vacationers, ABC investigated the story of an RVer who bought an off-the-line Cougar RV from manufacturer Keystone. The RVer, Marvin Motes, said that on a trip he and his wife began to develop odd symptoms. When they heard about the formaldehyde issues on FEMA trailers, the Motes made the mental connection.

After testing their rig, the Motes found the levels of formaldehyde in their trailer at .42 and .37 parts per million, well above the .10 parts per million level where the Environmental Protection Agency says "acute health effects can occur." When the Motes took their problems to the dealer where they bought their RV, they say the dealer was unwilling to help them. A couple of RV consumer organizations were interviewed about the formaldehyde issue in the story, and the whole item makes an interesting read. Check out the ABC story here.

While the ABC News story mentions a Sierra Club website where folks can comment on formaldehyde experiences in RVs, no link is given. We checked with the Sierra Club and found that Becky Gillette, a Mississippi chapter club official has begun her own blog on the subject. You can access it through this link.

RV Concern: FEMA, Formaldahyde and Katrina Trailers

If you missed the CBS News segment on high levels of formaldehyde in RV trailers built for Katrina evacuees, you shouldn't miss the transcript. It's an eye-opening, and slightly frightening look into what may be causing illness among those who took shelter from the storm in some of the trailers provided by the RV industry.


The quick once-over says this: Many of the "Plain Jane" trailers provided by FEMA tested for high levels of formaldehyde gas. FEMA itself warned its own employees that when inspecting trailers prior to occupancy they should consider opening the windows and turning on the air conditioning for their own safety. The problem? Formaldehyde could cause cancer.

If a FEMA employee should be concerned about formaldehyde gas during an eight-hour shift, what about folks living in them, 24/7? FEMA never warned residents about the potential dangers, and when asked, at least one manufacturer simply said, "For the FEMA trailers it used components and materials that met or exceeded industry standards." The problem there is that there is no industry standard for formaldehyde off-gassing.

One RV industry employee says he feels the problem came when masses of trailers had to be produced in a hurry, and his company (he feels) got inferior materials for construction. The question for all of us could be: What levels of formaldehyde are present in regular production line RV models? Have you ever had your RV tested? Please leave a comment if you have.

FEMA, RV Dealers, Head-On Over Surplus Sales

This blog has noted the sale of "surplus" travel trailers by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the concerns raised by the Recreational Vehicle Dealer’s Association (RVDA). Earlier we noted that RVDA had fired off a letter to FEMA, asking them to reconsider the sale of RVs.

While we have yet to hear back from FEMA on the issue, the pot is definitely still boiling. Seems RVDA ‘can’t get no satisfaction’ from the agency, they’ve taken their case to Congress. On Tuesday, Mike Molino, RVDA’s director, testified before a congressional subcommittee. Molino repeated his call for action to be taken to force FEMA to sell travel trailers in large "lots" as opposed to the sales of trailers to individuals.

Once again putting the "public safety" spin on his comments, Molino told congress, "The practice of selling directly to consumers also raises significant public safety implications," he said. "Consumers could face many problems unless the vehicles are thoroughly checked out, serviced, repaired and reconditioned by qualified technicians. Is there a plan to educate consumers buying these units at GSA auctions?"

Altruism aside, RVDA is extremely concerned that its dealer-members will watch their sales go down the drain if there’s too much of a good thing in surplus RV sales. Planning on picking up a FEMA bargain? It may be time to get a move on.

FEMA Deliver RVs--on the Cheap

What hurricane Katrina did for the RV industry, FEMA may now undo. It's a good-news, bad-news scenario, and folks shopping for travel trailers may come out on the winning side.

In the little burg of Hope, Arkansas, there's a most unusual RV park: It's the FEMA "parking lot" for 12,000 travel trailers destined for hurricane survivors. Some of the trailers helped folks, others never got beyond this 450 acre lot. Now FEMA needs to let them go--but that's just the tip of the iceberg: Nationwide there are nearly 46,000 trailers in FEMA's inventory, most of which will eventually be sold at auction. For how much? Figure about a 25 cents on the dollar for what FEMA hastily paid for them.

Even now, Uncle Sam has plenty of travel trailers at auction. Some have been beat up pretty good by tenants, others "scavenged" for parts. But with prices on 2005 model year units in the $3,000 to $5,000 price range, you can bet the bargain hunters are on their way. Maybe you can cash in on the deal--mind you, if you're the successful bidder you'll need to make haste to get your new rig off the lot: The government typically allows 10 days for removal after the auction closes.

There's a dark side of course: With so many FEMA trailers flooding the market, what will happen to RV dealerships who have to compete with the inundation of low-cost trailers? Uncle Sam's folks say they're not unconcerned about the matter. Time will tell.