'We are acting quickly'

0 Comments | USA TODAY, August, 2007 | by David Paulison

The Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) response to recent formaldehyde complaints could have been better, but only part of the story has been told. Following the unprecedented deployment of more than 100,000 housing units after the 2005 hurricane season, a relatively small number of occupants expressed concern about air quality in their travel trailers.

Last year, we became concerned that complaints from trailer occupants were growing in number, so FEMA consulted with a diverse group of health and environmental experts. These officials helped FEMA address many of the concerns raised by occupants experiencing symptoms associated with exposure to elevated levels of formaldehyde.

Last summer, FEMA notified trailer residents about the issue, provided...