9/11 first responders

The Sept. 11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF), a critical financial support mechanism for 9/11 heroes, has gained even more importance as the coronavirus ravages survivors and responders. Families who lose a member due to COVID-19 are eligible to be part of the compensation fund as long as a qualifying 9/11-related illness is listed in the […]

In the aftermath of September 11, some New Yorkers wore masks as worry began to spread about the dust hanging in the air in the areas around Ground Zero. In the years following the attacks, we found out that people were right to be worried, as more and more survivors developed respiratory problems and cancers […]

After more than half a year of trying to understand and battle the coronavirus pandemic, we know that COVID-19 infects people of all ages and backgrounds, with the elderly being exceptionally vulnerable. The heroes of 9/11 face heightened risk from the virus due to underlying health problems dating back to that fateful day. “9/11 made […]

Thousands of 9/11 first responders and survivors, already suffering from long-term respiratory problems and other complications due to exposure to Ground Zero toxins, now find themselves at additional risk due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. People with lung diseases like COPD, asthma, or lung cancer or with weakened immune systems are at the greatest risk […]

More than 18 years after September 11, 2001, the number of victims and the range of afflictions linked to the World Trade Center attacks grow. Asbestos, chemicals from building materials, smoke and other potentially dangerous substances were ejected from Ground Zero for months following the fall of the Twin Towers. As a result, people who […]

Though she wasn’t a firefighter, police officer or EMT, Marya Columbia described herself as a “responder” when applying for the World Trade Center Health Program. She qualified for benefits as a survivor because her Lower Manhattan apartment was in the designated exposure zone. However, that classification does not begin to describe Ms. Columbia’s contribution to […]