NY Daily News – August 12, 2015
by Edgar Sandoval, Reuven Blau
Congress should permanently extend the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act for Ground Zero aid workers, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said Tuesday.
The measure — signed into law in 2010 — offers medical treatment and compensation for first responders who became ill during their time working at Ground Zero. It is set to expire, in phases, starting in October.
“Our first responders answered the call of duty when our nation was under attack, and deserve to be treated by Congress as the veterans they really are,” said Gillibrand, who was flanked by firefighters and cops inside the Staten Island Clinical Center.
That’s where the Mount Sinai World Trade Center Program is offered to sick first responders.
Charles Diaz, 53, a retired sanitation police captain who rushed to the World Trade Center on 9/11, said he relies on the clinic for his myeloid leukemia treatment.
“I don’t know how long I have,” he told reporters. “I do know I wouldn’t be able to do this (treatment) without them.”
The Staten Island father of two said his medications alone cost $20,000 a month.
“They are the ones that keep me alive,” he said, referring to the doctors in the program.
Joseph Weibel, 47, a retired police sergeant, said he has “every respiratory illness you can think of.”
Holding back tears, he told reporters how he has struggled to survive.
“I was a big boy,” he recalled. “I was very strong. (But) I started to spit out blood. I started to cough. I got weaker. I went from 236 pounds to 177 pounds in two months.”
It wasn’t until he came to this Staten Island World Trade Center clinic that he found hope, he said.
“I didn’t want the Word Trade Center to beat me. These doctors helped me feel better little by little,” he said. “I’m going to cry, sorry.”
Pat Lynch, President of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, said thousands of his members rely on the funds for life-saving care.
“We have a moral obligation,” he said. “This obligation is for those that were there on Sept. 11.”
He added, “Equally important, this is for those young police officers and firefighters that are out on patrol now, to know that we take this moral obligation seriously.”
The Act will likely be extended.
No members of Congress, even Tea Party Republicans, outright oppose extending the legislation. Approximately 90 House members, more than a quarter Republicans, are cosponsors of the bill.
No comments yet.