As the 23rd anniversary of 9/11 approaches, FDNY firefighters are making what they hope will be their final plea to Congress for long-term healthcare funding for first responders suffering from illnesses linked to toxic exposure at Ground Zero.
Union leaders revealed stark statistics at a Monday Manhattan press conference. The number of FDNY members who have died from post-9/11-related illnesses has reached 370, surpassing for the first time the 343 firefighters who were killed on the day of the attacks.
In the past year alone, 28 firefighters have died from illnesses linked to 9/11.
“We pray that 9/11 has claimed its last victim but sadly we know that’s not the case,” said Uniformed Firefighters Association President Andrew Ansbro said. “Every month we’re burying three or four more FDNY members and we fear the number will continue to grow.”
While the World Trade Center Health Program has provided critical support for sickened first responders, funding for the program will run out by 2028 unless Congress intervenes. Currently, over 130,000 people — including FDNY members, NYPD officers, and volunteers — are enrolled in the program and receiving treatment.
“Behind these numbers are real people suffering,” said Uniformed Fire Officers Association President Jim Brosi, adding that many firefighters are “alive but not truly living” due to debilitating conditions.
Brosi pointed to thyroid and esophageal cancers as just some of the life-altering diseases affecting many, some of whom have lost their voices or their ability to swallow. “Our members are dealing with life-altering conditions and the cost of care is only rising,” he said.
The proposed 9/11 Responders and Survivors Health Funding Correction Act seeks to extend funding through 2090, ensuring that no first responder or survivor will be denied care.
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For firefighters, this appeal to Congress is nothing new. Since 2010, they have made five trips to Capitol Hill, each time fighting for another funding extension. Despite promises that earlier funding would suffice the number of cancer diagnoses has far exceeded expectations.
“Every time we go to Washington, they never fully fund it,” Ansbro said. “It’s always a piece and they leave something on the table. We’re asking for this to close everything up and have it fully funded so we don’t have to come back again.”
“For those of us that aren’t sick yet, we wonder if the funding will be there when we do get sick,” he added.
Lifesaving new medical advances come with hefty price tags, increasing the need for long-term financial support.
“Every time a new drug comes out it’s much more expensive than what’s already on the market,” Brosi said.
The FDNY continues to memorialize its fallen members. Last week, 32 more names were added to the FDNY Wall of Remembrance at the department’s headquarters in Brooklyn’s MetroTech Center. The wall, which has space for 960 names, could eventually be filled if the current rate of deaths continues.
“The further we get from this tragedy the less likely people will understand the need,” Brosi said. “We can’t let this be forgotten. Our members sacrificed their health for others and they deserve to be taken care of.”
