Street Corner Renamed to Honor 9/11 Police Officer

Although many think of the death toll of 9/11 to be limited to the day of the attacks, the truth is that thousands have died in the years that followed due to illnesses that manifested as a result of their exposure to toxic dust at Ground Zero. When the Twin Towers fell on September 11, 2001, they released deadly fumes and toxins into the air that first responders and rescue and recovery workers were exposed to in the days, weeks and months that followed. Many of them went on to develop severe health issues.  NIOSH has linked 64 cancers to the toxic dust.   

 One of those victims was our client Police Officer Robert Ehmer, who was a critical member of the rescue efforts following the attacks. He was a member of the NYPD since 1985 and spent most of his time in the force working for the 110^th Precinct in Elmhurst. During his tenure, he was awarded seven medals for police duty excellence and two commendation medals. After the attacks, he spent four months working at Ground Zero to help with recovery efforts. He passed away in 2010 at the age of 47 due to 9/11-related kidney cancer that was diagnosed in 2007.

This past fall, the City honored the fallen officer by renaming a street corner after him. The corner of 43^rd Avenue and 95^th Street in Queens was renamed on October 17^th  to pay tribute to the officer’s heroism and sacrifice. City Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras sponsored the memorial, and the officer’s family was on hand to attend the renaming.

Many people continue to deal with serious health problems as a result of their exposure on September 11, 2001. For more information and to find out if you may be eligible to receive compensation, consult the skilled injury attorneys at Barasch, McGarry Salzman & Penson in New York City.