Latest local news, weather and high school sports for Tri-State area

MACOMB, ILL. -- When Hurricane Katrina devastated the state of Louisiana a few years ago, countless families had no place to go after their homes were destroyed.

The U.S. government manufactured trailers to give them temporary shelter.

Now those trailers can become your temporary shelter, or get-away spot.

KHQA's Jarod Wells shows you how.

The trailers have been sitting in the state of Louisiana for about two years. Now they're sitting on the lot of Lowderman Auction Company on Highway 36 west of Macomb and their next move could be to your driveway.

Monte Lowderman said, "We were contracted to auction 400 of them here at our facility."

They vary in size, shape and color, but the typical F.E.M.A. trailer consists of a master bedroom with a full-sized bed, a living area with a kitchen and stove, bunk beds, and a bathroom with a shower. The trailers also are equipped with electricity, air conditioning, indoor heating, running water, other appliances and some furniture. And they will be sold at any cost.

The Story Continues Below.....
_______________________________________________________________

   
_______________________________________________________________

Lowderman said, "The one thing I like about this auction, it is unrestricted absolute, so they're going to sell to the highest and best bidder, all 400 of them."

One note to potential buyers, Lowderman said there's been some concern over the levels of formaldehyde found in these trailers.

Lowderman said, "Formaldehyde is a substance that's in glue. If a person were to be buying a brand new camper here today, or for that matter, lay new carpet in their house, there's going to be formaldehyde in that."

But he says tests show the levels are well below the maximum amount of formaldahyde allowed.

Lowderman said, "These campers were manufactured for the government under HUD specifications. That specification is 400 parts per billion of formaldehyde or less. 20% of the group that these 400 came out of have been tested. The highest score that they received was 262 parts per billion of formaldehyde."

These trailers are not intended as permanent or long-term homes, but for intermediate use, such as temporary shelter or a weekend getaway. And one of them could be yours in just a couple of weeks.

The public auction for the F.E.M.A. trailers will be Saturday, July 24th at Lowderman Auction Company on Highway 136 west of Macomb.

It will start at 9 AM.