As we remember and honor all who died on 9/11, we must care and support all those still suffering from the resulting health and disability challenges
Thirteen years ago today, on September 11, 2001, 19 al-Qaeda hijackers commandeered 4 American passenger planes, flew two fully fueled aircrafts into the World Trade Center in New York City, crashed one plane into the Pentagon and attempted to crash the 4th plane into our Capital, a plan thwarted by the heroic efforts and sacrifice of the passengers on United Airline Flight 93, who crashed the plane into a field in Shanksville, PA. The intent of the terrorists was to cripple our Nation, damage our Defense and destroy our Government. In the process, they brutally murdered 2,997 people, including airplane crews, passengers, people in the Twin Towers and Pentagon and first responders, as well as caused over $10 billion in destruction. This traumatic and vicious attack damaged our national psyche and America was changed forever (September 11th Fast Facts )
The events of September 11, 2001, are burned into our collective memory and have become a painful chapter in our collective history. Great efforts were and are made to make sure we remember those events, and great treasure, time and human resources were and are spent to make sure they are not repeated. We went to great lengthens to rebuild the destruction and build a fitting memorial on Ground Zero, to honor the victims, their families and first responders and all that participated in the rescue and rebuilding efforts. We created a Victim Compensation Fund (VCF), to provide for survivors and victim’s families as well as first responders and volunteers and their families, and on this 13th anniversary it is clear that we need to do more.
There are many first responders and volunteers that only noticed years later various medical and physical symptoms linked to their work on and after the 9/11 attacks, and there are many cases and claims still pending (estimated at 44%). With the VCF set to expire in 2016, a group of New York congressmen are rolling out a bill this week to extend the Zadroga Act (the law that granted medical compensation and health care to survivors of the September 11 attacks), for an additional 25 years.
Every year on this day, we contemplate the events of September 11, 2001, remember and honor all its victims and heroes and reflect on the legacy they left behind. We also regenerate, rebuild and move forward as is the natural order and journey of life. As important as this process of renewal is, we must always remember the sacrifice of all those that put their lives in harms way on that day (and the days that followed), and make sure we take care of them appropriately and generously. A few sobering numbers to think about:
1. Number of first responders killed on September.11, 2001: 414
2. Number of first responders exposed to high toxic dust: 60,000-70,000
3. Number of first responders injured: 2,000
4. Number of ground zero rescue workers who have cancer: 2,5185. Percentage of first responders more likely to be diagnosed with thyroid cancer
than general public: 239%6. Percentage of first responders more likely to be diagnosed with cancer
than general public: 15%7. Percentage of first responders more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer (not covered by Zadroga bill till last year) than the general public: 21%
8. Number of first responders who died (estimates) from health complications
steaming from work at Ground Zero since 9/11: 1,400
9. Number of years for sick first responders to begin receiving payments
for health compensation: 1210. Total number of completed registrations
submitted to the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund as of September 8, 2014: 55,188
11. Number of applications for compensations that have been paid
as of September 8, 2014: 1,84312. Approximate number of service dogs
that participated in the search and rescue activities at Ground Zero: 300(unlike their human partners, studies have indicated that dogs have not shown signs of significant health problems)
*Expanded list of 16 sobering numbers available on Huff Post Politics
Considering the heroic and self sacrifice these men and women engaged in (with no regard to their personal safety and well being), is it not incumbent upon us as a nation to make every effort possible and commit all the resources required to care for these responders and volunteers, and make sure they receive the healthcare they need and compensation and assistance they deserve?
What do you think?
Photo: Joel /Flicker Photo2: slagheap /Flicker Photo3: Gareth Paxton /Flicker
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