FEMA accused of suppressing health warning

WASHINGTON, July 19 (UPI) -- Evidence presented in Washington on Thursday indicated that the Federal Emergency Management Agency suppressed vital health warnings.

Internal e-mail messages presented to the U.S. House of Representatives Oversight and Government Reform Committee showed that FEMA lawyers suppressed findings that showed formaldehyde gas were present in trailers used to house Hurricane Katrina victims and FEMA employees, The Washington Post said.

Investigators found that the gas levels were reported by FEMA field workers but were suppressed by FEMA attorneys, who wanted to minimize the organization's liability.

There are nearly 75,000 households who were displaced by Katrina living in the FEMA-provided trailers.

The Post said that on Wednesday, FEMA asked the Centers for Disease Control to launch an investigation into the alleged health problems caused by their emergency vehicles.