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From Pat Lynch...

On September 11, 2001, this country (and City) experienced the single greatest attack on its soil in our history. This attack led to, among other things, the destruction of the World Trade Center and surrounding areas. Immediately after the attacks, our members – NYC Police Officers – and other first responders arrived at the World Trade Center and were responsible for the single greatest rescue effort in this nation’s history. Thereafter, they participated in the recovery and other efforts at Ground Zero and other sites.

All NYC Police World Trade Center Cancer Victims Mt. Sinai is conducting a cancer study on law enforcement members who worked rescue, recovery or cleanup at any of the WTC designated sites. The results of this study may lead to the inclusion of cancer as a recognized disease under the recently approved Zadroga bill. If you or anyone you know worked at any of the WTC designated sites, and have since developed any form of cancer, please contact Valerie Dabas at (212) 298-9162 or e-mail her at vdabas@nycpba.org. In order to confirm the diagnosis of cancer and to assess the scope and genesis of member illnesses, Mount Sinai is asking that you print out and complete the medical release form to allow Mount Sinai access to medical records of your private treating physicians (except those records relating to alcohol and drug abuse, psychiatric treatment and HIV) and facilitate your participation in the study.   Kindly mail the form to the PBA to:        Attention: Valerie Dabas       125 Broad Street, 11th Floor       New York, NY 10004

Click here for details of the new Zadroga Law

Our members responded without regard to whether they were on duty or off duty, whether they were paid for their efforts or not, and whether or not they were provided with adequate safety equipment. As a result of this tremendous response, one that as a country and a City we would like to see repeated in the event of another catastrophe, our members most of whom are in their 20’s, 30’s and 40’s are now strongly believed to be suffering with illnesses and sicknesses caused by their exposure to the toxic chemical mix at Ground Zero and other locations.

That toxic mix included such deadly agents as asbestos, benzene, mercury, freon, PCB’s, lead and other carcinogens. Standing alone, these agents are known to be deadly. Because of the unprecedented nature of this catastrophe neither the medical nor scientific community can adequately predict the consequences to our responders of being exposed to these deadly compounds when mixed together. Despite millions of dollars in various monies being targeted for monitoring and treatment, our members have received precious little information as to what specific types of health consequences our members are experiencing and reporting, other than vague references to sinus, breathing and mental health issues -- all of which are serious, but we believe do not represent the full range of illnesses our members are experiencing.

	See September 2009 letter to all delegates and members about the time extension for filing claims against the City.

The purpose of this website is to gather information currently available regarding illnesses responders are experiencing as a result of 9/11 and related exposures, including self reports by members and others, which will be reported in the PBA World Trade Center Health Registry, as well as to make available other published literature on WTC- related illnesses. We also will post Department Directives, laws and other authority concerning WTC- related health issues, and provide information relating to existing federally funded monitoring programs.

We invite our members to respond and report illnesses they are experiencing to aid other officers experiencing symptoms. In this way, our members who are experiencing symptoms, and have not yet sought treatment, will take the steps necessary to seek treatment so as to facilitate early treatment and to prevent the development of more serious health conditions.