Client Story: The Ongoing Impact of 9/11

Mr. Arrigo is a Local 79, unionized laborer who resides in Staten Island and worked on the rescue and recovery efforts near the World Trade Center site from September 2001 to January 2002. As a result of his work there, Mr. Arrigo developed chronic physical and mental health problems. He is now totally disabled from performing any type of work duties due to his 9/11-related illnesses.

Mr. Arrigo functioned as the primary breadwinner for his family of five, including his wife, one son (13 y/o), and two daughters (11 y/o and 9 y/o), but is unable to support his family at this time due to subsequent loss of income. After depleting all of his financial resources and savings, Mr. Arrigo contacted NYDIS in May 2008 to request much-needed assistance. At the time, he and his family were being evicted from their home and had received utilities shut-off notices. Although he had applied for long-term benefits, such as Workers’ Compensation and Social Security Disability, these claims had not yet been established and the family had no income.

Mr. Arrigo was assigned a case manager at NYDIS, and she is currently working with the Arrigo family on issues of relocation and benefits coordination. She also presented the Arrigo family’s case to the New York City 9/11 Unmet Needs Roundtable. The Roundtable donors funded $7,652.67 of moving expenses, utility expenses, and future supplemental rental payments while the case manager continues to work with the Arrigo family on the development of a sustainable long-term recovery plan.

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

:: Report Concludes 7 WTC Fell Because of Fire, Not Explosives

On August 21, federal investigators concluded that 7 World Trade Center collapsed because fire destroyed its structural columns and floor beams. Previous theories suggested that the building fell because of diesel fuel tanks or explosives. Its collapse is often used by conspiracy theorists as the number one piece of evidence that the government blew up the building. Modern skyscrapers are built so that even a fire that burns for hours should not lead to collapse. However, investigators of the building’s fall have determined that the heat from the fire caused the steel floor to expand, which in turn placed extreme pressure on the vertical beams of the building. These investigators note that the noise of explosives, had they been used, would have been loud enough to hear half a mile away, which was not the case. While they state that their findings are based entirely on science, many people who believe 9/11 was a conspiracy remain skeptical.

Read the August 22 NY Times article: click here

:: Police Department Calls for Tight Security Zone at Ground Zero

The New York City Police Department has developed a security plan for the new World Trade Center site. Part of the Lower Manhattan Security Initiative, the plan is designed to prevent further terrorist attacks there. It would only allow taxis, cars, and limousines which have been screened by police into the area surrounding the World Trade Center through five special barriers. Other guard booths would be established around the area to monitor pedestrians entering the site. All delivery trucks would be screened for bombs before they are allowed access. While community leaders are eager to have a secure World Trade Center, some are concerned that all of the restrictions will make it difficult to incorporate the site into city life.

Read the August 12 NY Times article: click here

:: NYC Airports Will Get $400M from Federal Government for Explosive Detectors

The federal government’s Transportation Security Administration will give NYC-area airports money to upgrade their post-9/11 baggage screening technology by installing explosive detectors. John F. Kennedy, LaGuardia, and Newark Liberty airports will receive $400M for this purpose over the course of the next two years. Congress began requiring airports to install explosive detectors for baggage after 9/11 to increase national security.

Read the August 20 WNBC article: click here

:: NOAA Distributes Public Alert Radios to U.S. Schools

The Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), funded by the Department of Homeland Security, is distributing over 182,000 Public Alert Radios to preschools, Head Start programs, K-12 nonpublic schools, K-12 school district offices, and post-secondary schools. Previously, all K-12 public schools received these radios. The radios provide alerts and safety steps to school personnel when a weather emergency or other urgent situation takes place. They work even when other communication channels do not. This Public Alert Radios for Schools program also helps schools work with local emergency management agencies and create an environment of community preparedness.

For more information:
http://public-alert-radio.nws.noaa.gov

:: 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