When terrorists flew planes into New York’s Twin Towers on Sept. 11, 2001, first responders didn’t hesitate.
Many lost their lives saving others who worked in the World Trade Center.
But for those who survived, and for those who worked cleaning up the site, the memory of that day is seared into their bodies. That’s due to health problems caused by the toxic dust from the destroyed buildings.
More than two decades later, those first responders and others — many of whom are AFSCME members — rely on the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) to get the care they need for conditions they suffer because of the selfless work they did that day and beyond.
Asthma, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and cancer are the most common ailments tied to the toxic dust, but there are others. WTCHP determines what health conditions have been caused by the terrorist attacks and then provides treatment, free of charge.
But because of the layoffs of program staff, those benefits may soon disappear.
The Trump administration fired 16 WTCHP workers earlier this month, adding to the cuts already made to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
First responders and survivors are already feeling the effects of the White House cuts to NIOSH and the WTCHP.
There have been delays in participants getting approval for benefits for recent diagnoses. New participant signups have trickled to virtually nothing. That’s because there isn’t enough staff to certify and authorize people for treatment. This despite hundreds of people still applying to be in the program every month as they come down with 9/11-related illnesses.
NIOSH doctors and scientists are responsible for determining whether new diagnoses and conditions are potentially the result of the 9/11 attacks.
Without the necessary staff to make those determinations and approve treatments and benefits 9/11 responders and survivors are due, the results for the affected responders are likely to be devastating.
This is unacceptable. The health and well-being of 9/11 responders should never be compromised. These heroes should never be abandoned, not after the sacrifices they made during one of America’s darkest days.
AFSCME members are fighting reckless budget cuts by this administration, anti-union extremists and billionaires. Find out how you, too. Get Organized to fight back.