From 9/11, New York City Finds Tens Of Thousands Of Documents That Show Dangers Of Toxins At Ground Zero Linked To Cancers, Other Serious Diseases: Senator Scarcella-Spanton

STATEMENT ON CITY’S DISCOVERY OF GROUND ZERO TOXIN DOCUMENTS

Editor’s note: Staten Islander has recently interviewed Barasch and McGarry regarding the World Trade Center Health Plan and the Victims Compensation Fund, both federally funded programs.  Watch out for that in the next few weeks.  As our readers know, Senator Scarcella-Spanton has been a staunch defender of the 9/11 funds and the first responders who came out in the search and rescue operation after the towers fell.  Senator Gillibrand has also been a strong supporter of police and fire and other first responders and residents.  Rep. Malliotakis has also been an incredible ally for first responders and their families, along with everyone else that was affected by the tragedy. Here, Senator Gillibrand has pushed for the funding of the program’s funding shortfall.  

From the press conference held about these documents: 

“They should have used that evidence and those tests to prepare for the long term health care of the people that were down there. The decision they made was to just hide it.Those documents show things that we didn’t know,” Andrew Ansbro, president of the FDNY United Firefighters Association said.

“Had these documents been available, then they could have helped prove our case to get that life saving health care more available quickly,” Ansbro said. “It would have been less of a fight.”  

“Everyone that was exposed, they need to know. Their families need to know who lied to them. They need to be held accountable,” Ansbro said….  “We need to know who lied. We really need to know who kept this lie alive by hiding all the information we’ve been asking for.” 

“They should have used that evidence and those tests to prepare for the long term health care of the people that were down there. The decision they made was to just hide it.”

Fire union General Counsel Thomas McManus, who represents thousands of the victims, said “Today’s a bittersweet day. It’s bittersweet because we finally have the first semblance of transparency from the city. We finally will begin to know what they knew… But it’s bittersweet, because it took 24 years, because it took litigation, FOIL requests, and it took the Department of investigation, through the efforts of Gail Brewer, to compel the city to find these documents. It’s ironic that after all that time, they didn’t find 68 pages. They found 68 boxes.”

STATEN ISLAND & BROOKLYN, NY — “Over two decades ago, when our city was attacked on the morning of September 11th, 2001, countless first responders put their well-being at risk in clean-up efforts at Ground Zero. Those efforts cost them their health and, for too many, their lives. For years, our first responders and their families dealt with the unknowns of what toxins and hazards they were exposed to – as over 400 FDNY members died of 9/11-related illnesses linked to Ground Zero toxins – including my own Uncle Larry Sullivan, of FDNY Rescue 5, who died of 9/11-related cancer.

It is shameful and outrageous that after facing years of uncertainty when making first responders’ medical decisions that could have impacted diagnoses, treatment plans, and healthcare decisions, the City has found tens of thousands of pages of documents on the dangers at Ground Zero. These are tens of thousands of pages that could have changed – and saved – first responders’ lives – if shared over two decades earlier.

I am calling on the City of New York and all relevant agencies, including the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Investigations, to thoroughly inspect these documents and, furthermore, continue to investigate how this gross injustice happened. Nothing can bring back the lives lost, but accountability must be taken for this inexcusable failure of our City to ensure the health and safety of the first responders who sacrificed everything to keep New Yorkers safe.”

Banner Image: Union members with Senator Gillibrand fighting for WTC health program funding.  Image Credit – FDNY United Firefighters Association