[StBernard] FEMA Delivering Trailers in Wake of Criticism

[Westley Annis]

FEMA Delivering Trailers in Wake of Criticism 

November 22, 2005

By: Steve Cannizaro


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FEMA delivering trailers one day after Parish President criticizes agency
for slow response.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is delivering some travel trailers 
for St. Bernard Parish residents just one day after Parish President Henry 
"Junior'' Rodriguez criticized their efforts as too slow.

Rodriguez, who said Monday that FEMA "is stuck on stuck'' and not following 
through on getting trailers to the parish, said Tuesday he was told by FEMA 
officials that about 30 trailers would be delivered shortly and possibly as 
many as several hundred more would arrive by the end of the week.

Rodriguez said that was good news for people needing trailers to move back 
into St. Bernard.

"I could use 6,000 trailers,'' Rodriguez said, but said he was glad to start

somewhere.

He said the trailers are to be placed along East Judge Perez Drive in 
Violet, past the Violet Canal. Further details will be announced later.

Rodriguez had said Monday the parish needs to get moving on getting travel 
trailers so residents can move back in but said the effort was being slowed 
by FEMA, which is suppose to procure the trailers.

The Parish President also criticized the federal agency for not following 
through on contracts its contractor signed in October to remove 
flood-damaged trailers from trailer parks and replace them with travel 
trailers. As many as 800-900 travel trailers could be placed on the sites of

10 trailer park sites, getting those residents back, Rodriguez said.

On Monday, Rodriguez and a trailer park owner in Violet began removing 
flooded out trailers from the park and crushing them. The work started at 
Christian's Trailer Park, 5648 East St. Bernard Highway.

Rodriguez said Tuesday there is still no word on when trailer parks will 
receive the replacement travel trailers.