Staten Islanders Benefit From New 9/11 Victims’ Compensation Fund – Even Those Who Worked In Area During Years Following
The Undying Legacy of 9/11: A Call to Action for Staten Island
Editor’s note: Staten Islander previously covered the new legislation fought for by Staten Island’s Representative Malliotakis. Last year’s annual remembrance ceremony on Staten Island was organized by BP Fossella.
Staten Island’s connection to 9/11 is marked by profound loss and bravery. With over 270 residents lost in the immediate aftermath and countless more responders and downtown office workers dying from illnesses in the years following, the borough’s true story is one of unparalleled sacrifice.
The reopening of Fresh Kills Landfill, where hundreds of Staten Island responders were exposed to WTC toxins, also serves as the World Trade Center’s final resting place. It offers another reminder of the tragedy’s complexity. Staten Island shoulders the emotional weight of over 3.9 billion pounds of 9/11 debris that was processed, in an operation that demanded meticulous care due to the presence of human remains and sensitive evidence.
The FDNY Rescue 5, which lost 11 of its own, embodies the borough’s deep and personal connection to the day’s events, a connection that extends into an ongoing battle against post-9/11 illnesses.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, there was a 17 percent increase among people who were exposed to WTC toxins on 9/11 reporting at least one type of cancer from 2022 to 2023.
Sadly, there was also a 16 percent increase in responders and a staggering 38 percent increase in survivors (or non-responders) dying from 9/11 toxins over the last twelve months, underscoring the urgent need for awareness and action.
The enduring health crisis demands our unwavering support, highlighting the need for continued vigilance to make everyone aware of the need to register with the two federal 9/11 programs.
Taking action to sign up with the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program and September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) empowers victims of 9/11 to gain access to free, federal healthcare and compensation for life for 9/11-related illnesses. Anyone who was exposed to the 9/11 toxic dust between September 11, 2001, and July 31, 2002 may be eligible. Financial support is also available to those who suffered from a 9/11 related illness including families who lost a loved one from 9/11’s aftermath.
Grim National Cancer Trends and the 9/11 Connection
The recent unsettling projections for 2024 point to 2,001,140 new cancer cases and 611,720 cancer deaths across the United States. The alarming trend of early-onset cancers, notably in breast, lung, and colorectal types, points to a broader health crisis, one with particular relevance to the 9/11 community exposed to toxins more than two decades ago.
The top 10 cancers afflicting 9/11 victims are: Non-Melanoma Skin; Prostate; Breast-female; Lymphoma; Thyroid; Lung/Bronchus; Kidney; Melanoma of Skin; Leukemia; and Colon.
Many of these are also reflected in the most common new cancer types among young adults, where breast, thyroid, and colorectal cancers are now the leading causes of death.
For the 9/11 community, the connection to these statistics is starkly evident.
Connect the Dots to 9/11 as the Cause of Cancer for All Victims of 9/11
The real troubling trend is that many people, especially younger people, typically do not test for cancer. Worse, most do not connect the dots to 9/11 as the cause of cancer.
Everyone must know that regardless of family history, once certified under the 9/11 federal programs, 69 different cancers and other 9/11 related illnesses are covered based on the presumption of toxic exposure.
So long as one can prove their presence in the 9/11 exposure zone, which is South of Houston Street in Lower Manhattan, between September 11, 2001, and July 31, 2002, they may be entitled to free federal healthcare and compensation for life. Whether they were attending school or operating a yellow cab, if they were a worker or shopper at retail stores like Century 21, a resident in the area, or simply returning back to the office, the 9/11 community encompasses many of us.
How 9/11 Federal Programs Work
The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010 (Zadroga Act) authorized the WTC Health Program and the 9/11 VCF to serve the 9/11 responder and survivor communities. Both programs have their own distinct mission, eligibility criteria, and enrollment process.
The WTC Health Program provides no-cost vital medical monitoring and treatment to those who were present in the dust or dust cloud, and/or lived, worked, or went to school in the New York City Disaster Area between September 11, 2001, and July 31, 2002—the conclusion of the clean-up operation at WTC.
The 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund offers financial compensation for physical injuries, illnesses including cancer and/or respiratory illnesses, or deaths that occurred as a result of the terrorist attacks.
Legislative Progress: The NDAA Amendment Uplifts 9/11 Federal Programs
Recent legislative enhancements to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) offer hope for restitution. This measure not only addresses the WTC Health Program’s financial shortfalls but also expands eligibility, ensuring that the heroes and survivors of 9/11, regardless of where they served, receive the support they desperately need.
The NDAA amendment closes loopholes that previously hindered first responders at the Pentagon and Shanksville, Pennsylvania crash sites from accessing the health protections and compensation available through the respective federal programs.
The bipartisan efforts of Representative Nicole Malliotakis (R-SI) and many others from the New York and New Jersey delegations were pivotal in securing this additional funding.
Their leadership has ensured that more than 120,000 first responders and survivors, including those previously excluded, now have access to vital healthcare. This amendment represents a significant stride in acknowledging and supporting all first responders affected by 9/11, regardless of their deployment location.
Yet the advocacy mission for our fellow New Yorkers, especially victims on Staten Island, must continue.
It’s Time to Find Forgotten 9/11 Victims
Nearly 500,000 people were exposed to the toxins, like the first responders working on or near the pile, yet only 10 percent of non-responders registered with the WTC Health Program.
Consider the armies of office workers taking the Staten Island Ferry each morning to Lower Manhattan, returning home once again at the close of business. These tens of thousands of individuals living in all parts of Richmond County were then and remain essential workers in numerous industries concentrated in America’s financial and legal center downtown.
My own law office is a prime example of this. As it was on 9/11, our office is located just two blocks from the World Trade Center site. Half of my colleagues, including myself, were impacted by 9/11-related cancers. Two young members of our staff died of 9/11-related cancer.
Not a day goes by when clients tell me they did not realize they had the right to access free health care and/or compensation.
And the scope of eligibility continues to expand. Just as the NDAA has opened up these programs to more of our brave first responders at more crash sites, updates in research have added new cancers and diseases to the list of covered conditions.
Because the original data was based on a mostly male population, many diseases impacting women were not included in the original Zadroga Health and Compensation Act. With time, that has changed.
In January 2023, uterine cancer became one of the 69 recognized cancers considered to impact the 9/11 community. In just the first year, my law firm has already helped over 350 women afflicted with this disease connect with the WTC Health Program.
The 9/11 Notice Act: A Step Forward to Find Forgotten 9/11 Victims
The enactment of the 9/11 Notice Act in the second half of 2023 by Governor Hochul marks a significant stride in mitigating the healthcare burdens faced by 9/11 victims.
This legislation ensures broader awareness of eligibility for 9/11 health programs and compensation for all individuals working below Canal Street in lower Manhattan and parts of northern Brooklyn between September 11, 2001, and July 31, 2002.
The 9/11 Notice Act simply requires organizations with 50 or more employees in operation during that time-period to send a letter to their former employees explaining their rights to free, lifetime federal healthcare and compensation due to their exposure to 9/11 toxins.
There is still more work to be done. Perhaps, the State of New York should expand the 9/11 Notice Act law to also mandate the notification of students, teachers, and government employees of their right to register for the free federal health and compensation programs that exist for them, too.
Our Collective Duty
The 9/11 Notice Act and the recent NDAA amendment are more than legislative achievements for the 9/11 community; they are symbols of hope and determination.
Each and every day, as people develop and pass away from 9/11-related illnesses, we are reminded that 9/11 didn’t end on 9/11.
About the Author
Attorney and 9/11 advocate Michael Barasch has been at the forefront of the fight for justice and support for the 9/11 community. As Managing Partner of Barasch & McGarry, his unwavering dedication continues to fuel the ongoing battle for the rights of the 9/11 community.
Banner Image: 9/11 newspaper headline. Image Credit – Aidan Bartos
Michael Barasch of Barasch & McGarry
Attorney and 9/11 advocate Michael Barasch has been at the forefront of the fight for justice and support for the 9/11 community. As Managing Partner of Barasch & McGarry, his unwavering dedication continues to fuel the ongoing battle for the rights of the 9/11 community.
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