Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick stood alongside dozens of local first responders, police and firefighters last week to urge support for the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Reauthorization Act.
At the Garden of Reflection 9/11 Memorial in Lower Makefield on Dec. 7, several spoke in support of House Bill 1786 and Senate Bill 928, which would renew medical benefits for responders still struggling with ailments caused by exposure to toxins during the Ground Zero recovery efforts.
“We reflect today, as we often do, on their lives and the importance of that Tuesday morning,” Fitzpatrick said. “For thousands of those first responders, 14 years later the impact of 9/11 is still felt. The burden is still carried as they suffer from illnesses and medical complications from cancer to respiratory disease caused by Ground Zero toxins.”
The new legislation would continue the World Trade Center Health Program indefinitely. The original bill went into law in 2011 and expired in September of this year. It was named for James Zadroga, a New York City police officer who died of respiratory disease in 2006. His was one of the first deaths linked to exposure to toxic chemicals at Ground Zero.
Brian McGuire, a former New York City firefighter now living in Southampton, urged other lawmakers to support the legislation.
“The benefits provided by the Zadroga bill pay for lifesaving medications, doctor visits, surgeries and cancer treatments for thousands, including myself,” he said. “We hope Congress will pass the bill to keep us alive.”
As of last week, the bill was co-sponsored by 266 members of the House of Representatives and 66 senators. In Pennsylvania, 1,095 first responders are sick from Ground Zero-related illnesses, McGuire said, including many from Bucks County and Philadelphia.
“We need permanent funding going forward,” Andrew Thomas, president of Philadelphia Firefighters Local 22, said. “It needs to be acted on immediately. Please reach out today to your congressmen and senators.”
Don Mihalek of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association emphasized that securing these benefits is a nationwide issue. First responders from all over — local, state and federal departments — came in to help with the response, recovery, investigation and cleanup after the 9/11 attacks.
“Those first responders gave more than I think we could have ever asked of them, and they’re still giving more each and every day by the ailments that plague them,” he said. “Detective James Zadroga was 34 years old when he died, and an autopsy showed that he had fiberglass in his lungs. You don’t get that from walking around every day. He got that directly from his time at Ground Zero.”
If passed into law, the bill would secure healthcare stability for the estimated 70,000 first responders suffering from 9/11-related illnesses. As of last week, a vote has not been scheduled.
“When the funding runs out, so does the payment of these bills,” Fitzpatrick said. “Failure is not an option on this.”
