Reflections on 9-11

On Sunday night, September 8, 60 Minutes devoted its entire program to 9/11 and the Fire Department of New York (FDNY).  [If you missed it, you can find it here.] It’s hard to watch; it’s both heartbreaking and inspiring. It is a full hour tribute to the entire Fire Department of the City of New York and to its 343 members who “answered the call that day and never returned.”  Program host Scott Pelley called it “The greatest act of gallantry ever bestowed on an American city.”

9/11: Some History

Carrying 75+ pounds of equipment on their backs, firefighters climbed 70+ flights of stairs in hopes of rescuing people trapped on the floors above. Between 13,000 – 15,000 people were evacuated in the 102 minutes between the time the planes hit, and the two towers collapsed.

No one had any idea that the buildings would collapse. The North Tower, the first to be hit, collapsed after burning for 1 hour and 42 minutes. The South Tower collapsed after burning for 56 minutes. The collapse created a massive dust cloud that made it almost impossible to see and it left hundreds of highly populated city blocks covered with ash, debris, and harmful particles, including asbestos, silica, metals, concrete, and glass.  Fires in the debris continued to burn for months.

Rescue and recovery efforts began immediately, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) quickly issued a nation-wide ground stop on all civilian aircraft.

At the time, I was the Acting Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Within days of the collapse and on first flights out, we deployed our safety and respiratory health experts, along with staff from our Personal Protective Technology Lab to the site. Everyone knew the serious dangers of the toxic stew that filled the air, and the safety hazards facing the rescue and recovery works as they climbed and sifted through the mountains of wreckage and rubble .

It was 23 years ago, but for many of us the events of 9/11 are seared in our memories. The attacks took a devastating emotional toll on Americans – then and even now, 2+ decades later.  Many wake up and go to sleep with visions of the day. They attend ceremonies, visit gravesites, share memories with family and friends, observe a moment of silence, and mourn personal and collective losses (see here). To this day and across the miles, I connect with NIOSH colleagues who worked alongside me over the days and weeks that followed. We share our memories of that time, but also take joy in catching up with each other and what’s happening in our lives.

9/11: The Legacy Lingers

Responders and recovery workers who survived death and traumatic injuries weren’t necessarily out of the woods. Another life-threatening disaster was in the wings and continues to this day. Called 9/11-related illnesses, World Trade Center or Ground Zero-related illness, it has killed more firefighters than were killed on the day the Twin Towers fell. In the 23 years since, more than 360 FDNY members have died of World Trade Center-related illnesses; 28 of those FDNY deaths were over the last year, according to the FDNY Uniformed Firefighters Association (here, here, here). There is still controversy about the the weak efforts of the Bush administration to protect workers during that time.

Myriad diseases and conditions fall into the 9/11-related category. They include a host of cancers, respiratory diseases, digestive disorders, autoimmune disease, PTSD and mental health conditions, acute traumatic injuries, and musculoskeletal disorders (see for example here, here, here). And evidence has emerged more recently about high levels of dementia suffered by people who worked on the recovery effort.

In 2001, Congress enacted the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF). You can read more about the VCF and it’s progeny – e.g., the Zadroga Act and the Permanent Reauthorization Never Forget the Heroes’ Act —  here, here.

Unions also led the fight to create the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program, which provides medical monitoring and treatment for WTC-related conditions to those directly affected by the September 11th attacks in New York, at the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. You can read more about it here.  The program is facing a budget shortfall; the AFL-CIO is urging us to take action.

Some Reflections

I’ve been thinking about the 60 Minutes piece since it aired. It saddens me in so many ways.  But it also fills me with pride to see how these firefighters faced imminent danger and carried on with their jobs.  A pride shared by firefighters’ colleagues and family members who spoke on the program, including several children who picked up their parent’s firefighting mantle.

It also made me want to recognize and thank the workers that enrich and make our everyday lives possible, providing us with the food we eat, the water we drink, the energy that powers our homes, the products we use, the roads we drive, the health care we receive, the music we listen to, and more.

While few face events as dramatic as the WTC collapse, far too many face serious hazards and risks on a daily basis.  Some are clearly visible with immediate impacts, like falls, trench collapses, amputations, burns, and violent encounters with disturbed or disgruntled persons. Others are less visible with effects that may take years to emerge, like exposure to silica, asbestos, benzene, and other toxic substances. Or psychosocial stressors that quietly take a toll on workers’ mental health and wellbeing.  Yet, like the FDNY,  our nation’s workers all step up to do their jobs. If they’re lucky, they have a union to help secure their safety, health, and livelihoods.

Bottom Line

As we all share in the fruits of their labor, we can also play a role in protecting and promoting their health and safety. Here’s a short list of things we can do.  Please, add your own suggestions in the comments.

• Call your member of Congress and urge them to co-sponsor and support the bipartisan 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2024 that would fully fund the WTC Health Program (see here).
• Urge your member of Congress to give OSHA, MSHA, NIOSH, and the National Labor Relations Board the budget and staff resources these agencies need to robustly fulfill their missions.
• Tell you member of Congress to support and pass the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act) which will make it easier for workers to organize unions and the Protecting America’s Workers Act which will increase OSHA penalties, cover public employees, and make anti-retaliation protections more effective.
• Become or continue to be vocal advocates for worker health and safety. Talk to your friends and family about the issue.
• Participate in public hearings; provide comments or information for relevant proposed rulemaking processes.
• Help organize unions at your jobsite and support others’ organizing efforts.
• Support and vote for pro-labor, pro-worker candidates for public office.
• Make your displeasure known when elected officials are silent or oppose policies that advance worker safety, health, and well-being.
• And be sure to vote in November. Every vote matters.