More Evidence of Long-Term Illness in 9-11 EMS Responders

According to a study published in the journal, Occupational & Environmental Medicine, when tracked over 12 years following the attacks, EMS 9/11 responders were seven times more likely to have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than EMS workers who didn’t work that day. And the risk of obstructive airway disease was more than doubled in EMS responders who responded to the attacks, the study found.

The FDNY kept meticulous medical records of active and retired firefighters (including EMS workers) prior to 9/11. Sadly, first responders are 17-25% more likely to be diagnosed with one of the 62 cancers linked by NIOSH to the toxic dust compared to their co-workers who didn’t work at Ground Zero. To date, NIOSH has certified over 2,500 first responders with WTC-related cancers.