[StBernard] FEMA takes trailer while soldier is in Afghanistan

[Westley Annis]

This is horrible.  Can't one of the faith based groups working in St.
Bernard help this man and fix his house for him?  If he doesn't deserve
this, no one does.  
 
Laurie


> -----------------------------------------------------

> FEMA takes trailer while soldier is in Afghanistan

> 

> 07:33 PM CDT on Monday, August 25, 2008

> 

> Scott Satchfield / Eyewitness News 

> 

> A wind-shredded American flag still hangs on the front of a home on 4th

> Street in Chalmette -- one Arnold Crabtree has struggled to rebuild. 

> 

> Crabtree was deployed for a year of duty in Afghanistan a couple months

ago,

> but in the time since he's been gone, the soldier says FEMA came by and

took

> the trailer he had been living in. 

> 

> Friend and neighbor Kathy Hernandez says Crabtree was shocked when she

> delivered the news. 

> 

> "Just freaked out...freaked out, worried," Hernandez said. "He had his

> sergeant contact FEMA to secure the trailer being there when he arrives

home

> in a year, so you know, he thought he had taken care of everything he

needed

> to before he left." 

> 

> Hernandez, who has been looking after Crabtree's property since his

> deployment, says FEMA left his possessions outside the home, before taking

> the trailer. 

> 

> Then, last week, St. Bernard Sheriff's officials confirmed Crabtree's

> damaged home was burglarized. Deputies arrested a married couple, Jason

and

> Christy Cain in the crime. 

> 

> The couple lives just around the corner. 

> 

> Hernandez says the problems keep piling up and taking a toll on Crabtree. 

> 

> "Well he's dealing with having to be over there, and you know, worrying

> about things over here," she said. 

> 

> FEMA officials didn't comment on the specific case -- citing privacy

issues

> -- but, they say a trailer is removed only if the agency can't contact

> someone over the course of several weeks. Then, they would deem the

trailer

> abandoned, and remove it. 

> 

> Officials say they always box up a person's belongings, and store them in

a

> secure location. Hernandez isn't buying it, however, and says her friend

> deserves better. 

> 

> "This man is away in another country fighting a war for us and he has to

be

> concerned with, you know, having his roof over his head taken away," she

> said. "No one should go through that, and its just not fair for this man

to

> have to be worrying, 'Am I going to have a roof over my head when I get

back

> home?'"

> 

> Video: Watch the Story

> http://tinyurl.com/6nflzr