Client Story: The Ongoing Impact of 9/11

Ms. S is a 50-year-old woman who worked as a Local 78 Asbestos Handler at Ground Zero for over 600 hours from September 19, 2001 to November 18, 2002. As a result of her work at the World Trade Center site, Ms. S suffers from 9/11-related musculoskeletal and respiratory injures that prevent her from working in the asbestos industry. As a single mother raising two young adolescent children, Ms. S had to turn to less physically demanding work as a street vendor. Her ability to support her family has been reduced significantly, and she has reached out to NYDIS for assistance with rental arrears and relocation expenses during periods of 9/11-related disability.

Ms. S has been working with 9/11 case managers at Asociación Tepeyac de New York, an agency funded by NYDIS for the past three years to provide 9/11 case management services. In addition, Ms. S has been actively pursuing a claim for Workers’ Compensation benefits since 2004 and is near resolving this claim. While waiting for compensation for loss of earnings and medical care for her 9/11 related disabilities, Ms. S obtained a vending license from the City of New York, and she works as often as possible.

This year, thanks to funding from the NYC 9/11 Unmet Needs Roundtable, Ms. S will be able to work more regularly and independently as a licensed street vendor. Ms. S. purchased a fruit vending cart with running water that meets Department of Health and Mental Hygiene standards. Including this year’s grant, Ms. S has been awarded $20,083.39 in cash assistance through the NYC 9/11 Unmet Needs Roundtable. This assistance has been a bridge to long-term recovery and more financial stability for Ms. S and her family.

Please help our clients! Donate now to the NYC 9/11 Unmet Needs Roundtable: click here

:: Governor Paterson Signs Bill to Extend WTC Disability Benefits to 2010

Among a package of bills that Governor Paterson signed into law last week was one that extends eligibility for disability benefits for people who participated in the rescue, clean-up, and recovery efforts at Ground Zero after 9/11 until 2010. The governor stated, “It is imperative that we continue to provide those workers who face health consequences from their work at Ground Zero with the very best care and the opportunity to apply for disability benefits.” Along with this bill, the Governor signed an additional health care-related bill into law that will improve consumer access to information from physicians and will enhance infection control measures. NYDIS, NYCOSH, and the UCC have been successfully advocating for the past two years for the extension of these benefits.

Read the August 7 press release:
www.ny.gov/governor/press/press_0807082.html

:: Mayor Bloomberg Urges Congress to Provide Long-Term 9/11 Health Treatment

On July 31, Mayor Bloomberg addressed Congress concerning the federal response to the need for a long-term treatment program for people whose health was affected by the toxic debris at Ground Zero after 9/11. Bloomberg told Congress that New York City plans to spend $100 million on 9/11-related health issues over the next three years. However, this effort will not be enough to meet the long-term needs of first responders and others who may become sick as a result of 9/11. He encouraged Congress to consider the James Zadroga Act, a plan proposed by New York legislators that would provide the needed funding at the national level. Some members of Congress are concerned that the bill is too generous, although its writers have modified it to limit the number and type of people it would cover. Some proponents of the bill are concerned that there is little time left this year to pass it before campaign season takes Congress’s attention, but they hope that the seventh anniversary of 9/11 will push the bill through.

Read the AP article: click here

:: FBI and TSA Hold Terrorism and Transportation Conference in New York City

Hosted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Terrorism and Transportation Conference took place the week of July 28. Over 700 law enforcement personnel, intelligence professionals, and private sector officials attended the conference to consider the issues of terrorism and transportation. Speakers included NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly as well as representatives from TSA, Port Authority of NY/NJ, the United States Coast Guard, and the FBI. Panelists presented information about terrorism prevention, preparedness, and response. The presence of international law enforcement officials from Spain, the United Kingdom, and Japan at the event reflects the global importance of this issue. As TSA Administrator Kip Hawley noted, "Counter terrorism today is team activity."

Read the August 1 press release:
www.tsa.gov/press/releases/2008/0801.shtm

:: DHS Releases National Emergency Communications Plan

On July 31, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released its National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP), the nation’s first strategic plan to support homeland security through improved communications during emergencies. The plan includes all levels of government and spans across all fields to facilitate clear and uniform communication. It outlines three communications goals involving the capacity of urban and non-urban areas to provide accurate internal and external messages during emergencies. These recommendations are consistent with the ones that are described in FEMA’s National Response Framework and the National Incident Management System.

Learn more about the plan in the DHS press release: click here

:: Elmhurst Hospital in Queens to Benefit from $30 Million CDC Grant

As a member of the World Trade Center Environmental Health Center, Elmhurst Hospital in Queens will likely receive funding from the Centers for Disease Control’s recently announced $30 million grant. This grant will contribute to 9/11-health treatment for residents, workers, and students who were living or working in Lower Manhattan at the time of 9/11 and who are now experiencing health problems as a result. The WTC Environmental Health Center provides monitoring and treatment for physical and mental health problems related to the events of 9/11 and its aftermath. It encourages doctors to refer patients who are experiencing symptoms common to people who experienced 9/11 firsthand.

Read the July 31 article in the Queens Ledger: click here

:: Public-Private Partnerships Help Communities Recover from Disasters

Public-private partnerships are becoming increasingly important in a world where natural disasters occur on a regular basis. Organizations such as Business Executives for National Security (BENS) and the Aidmatrix Foundation are using their technological expertise to help communities recover from disasters like floods, fires, and hurricanes. By assisting in community-wide recovery efforts in addition to sustaining their own operations post-disaster, these organizations are bolstering economic recovery, which benefits themselves and consumers at once. For example, Shell Exploration & Production sponsored a social investment program after Katrina along the Gulf Coast, where most of their oil and gas production takes place. The program increased economic activity in ways that benefited their employees, their customers, and their company. A non-profit example is the Aidmatrix Foundation, which used its information technology resources to help match donations with needs after the Midwest flooding in June.

Read more in the July 7 article in Business Week: click here

:: FEMA Releases Draft of its National Disaster Housing Strategy

On July 21, the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released the draft of its National Disaster Housing Strategy, a document that describes the principles and strategies that guide the disaster housing process. It provides guidelines about how to engage all levels of government, as well as the private and non-profit sectors, in a disaster housing effort that will ensure individual and community needs are met efficiently. The National Disaster Housing Strategy also calls for the creation of a Disaster Housing Task Force, which will strategize and develop disaster housing plans. The 60-day comment period for the document began on July 23.

Read the press release from FEMA: click here