Concerns linger in East Palestine as EPA, FEMA teams planned to canvass neighborhoods

EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — Three weeks after a train carrying hazardous chemicals derailed, frustrations continue to mount in East Palestine, Ohio.

Saturday, interagency teams with FEMA, the EPA, HHS, and CDC were slated to go door-to-door, canvassing the community about their concerns, as property values and health on the minds of many.

“It’s bad. Crazy. And they don’t tell you the truth,” said Jim Cope of East Palestine.

“The long-term effects…I feel sorry for these people,” said Conrad Mueller of Pittsburgh, who drove to East Palestine to see the aftermath for himself.

NBC News reports several cases of bronchitis and other conditions that doctors suspect are linked to chemical exposure.

“I got COPD, one lung out…sometimes I go out and it stinks, other times it doesn’t,” Cope said.

As the EPA and other agencies planned to make their way through neighborhoods, officials said they also planned to keep an eye on air quality monitors that are strategically placed throughout the community.

“We did have a customer request a sample batch that she was going to send to the EPA,” said Paul Goist of Stanley Steemer. “A lot of people are afraid to be in their homes.”

Stanley Steemer workers said they’ve seen an increase in calls for air duct cleaning.

“We are seeing a lot of debris,” Goist said. “We use a medical-grade disinfectant called Vital Oxide, that we push through the system…and the fogging machine, we go from vent to vent…anything inside the system gets destroyed.”

Four tractor trailer loads of bottled water, collected and donated by a group of Ohio truck drivers, were going fast Saturday morning.

“Do what we could, got here as soon as we could, these nice people let us use their parking lot, and here we are,” said volunteer Michelle Archer.

Cope had a message for the EPA in preparation for their visit.

“You’re here to help the railroads, you’re not here to help the people of East Palestine,” Cope said.

The EPA announced a new hotline for residents and businesses to help provide various services, including guidance for accessing ongoing air monitoring, water sampling, as well as information about scheduling cleaning services. Those seeking assistance can contact 866-361-0526 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST.

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