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FEMA's Mobile Homes For Fire Victims Are Allegedly Toxic

FEMA today installed the first of about a dozen mobile homes assigned to San Diego County fire victims on the La Jolla and Rincon Indian reservations. But continued reports say those mobile homes have

FEMA's Mobile Homes For Fire Victims Are Allegedly Toxic

FEMA today installed the first of about a dozen mobile homes assigned to San Diego County fire victims on the La Jolla and Rincon Indian reservations. But continued reports say those mobile homes have high levels of toxic formaldehyde, like many of the trailers distributed after Hurricane Katrina. KPBS reporter Alison St John has more.

A class action lawsuit is ongoing on behalf of hundreds of Katrina victims who say they suffer health problems from living in travel trailers provided by FEMA.

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FEMA officials say they are not assigning trailers to fire victims in San Diego County, they're bringing in full size mobile homes.

But Shelly Bluejay Pierce, who writes for the largest independent Native American paper in the country, the Native American Times, says testing done for the lawsuit shows the mobile homes may also be a health risk.

Pierce : There was hardly any distinguishable difference between the formaldehyde levels in the mobile homes or the travel trailers provided by FEMA. Out of 700 units, only nine of them tested right at or slightly below what the formaldehyde limits are and all the rest of them were over the limits.

FEMA officials say 13 Native Americans have been granted mobile homes and applications have come in from about 30 other people in back country areas of San Diego.

Alison St John, KPBS News.