Vernonia flood victims get trailers
Tuesday, March 11, 2008 11:57 AM PDT
VERNONIA (AP) — More than three months after a storm flooded much of this northwest Oregon city, almost 40 families are still relying on friends, families and hotels to keep a roof over their heads.
But that should change in the coming weeks, when the flood victims move into new mobile homes while they wait for their places to be renovated, Federal Emergency Management Agency officials said Monday.
The homes are 60 feet long, have three bedrooms and come furnished and outfitted with bed linens, dishes and cookware. They will be hooked to sewer, water and electrical services. So far, 26 of the homes have arrived in Portland and more will be ordered from FEMAs storage lot in Hope, Ark.
FEMA began requiring the test after Hurricane Katrina, when the agency bought thousands of travel trailers to use as temporary homes.
It was later learned that the trailers didn’t meet government livability standards.
