Transport Workers Who Helped Evacuation After 9/11 Now at Risk from Ground Zero Exposure

The terror attacks on 9/11 occurred at the center of New York City’s transportation network, where labor union members operated and maintained dozens of subway and bus lines, as well as the Staten Island Ferry.

Their courageous efforts helped tens of thousands of people evacuate safely in the crucial hours after the World Trade Center towers collapsed.

Not a single public transit passenger was killed on 9/11, even as the Cortlandt Street 1 Train station was completely destroyed.

During the months that followed, transport workers kept New Yorkers moving, in Lower Manhattan and throughout the region.

In addition, more than 3,000 of these workers were either assigned to the rescue and recovery effort at Ground Zero or volunteered to help.

Tragically, despite claims that the air was safe to breathe, transport workers were exposed to Ground Zero toxins that increase their risk of developing 68 types of cancer and many respiratory illnesses.

Members of Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 100 and their leadership were tireless advocates for the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program and the  9/11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF). 

These programs offer free, comprehensive medical care for 9/11-related illnesses and tax-free awards for pain and suffering, lost earnings, and benefits for surviving spouses and family members.

But many transport workers who are eligible have not yet enrolled in the WTC Health Program or registered with the 9/11 VCF.

We have a shared duty to let them know about their right to access health care and compensation.

If you were in Lower Manhattan on 9/11 or during the eight months that followed, you are eligible to register with the 9/11 VCF – even if you are currently healthy.

Barasch & McGarry, Lawyers for the 9/11 Community, which represents 30,000 members of the 9/11 community, has proudly advocated for union members for more than twenty-five years.

Visit www.911victims.com or call 800-314-0683 today.