U.S. Funds 9/11 Health Screens
Firefighters and volunteer rescuers who toiled at ground zero for months after the Sept. 11 attacks will be eligible for a long-term health screening program paid for by an $81-million federal grant, officials announced Tuesday.
“Those individuals who selflessly dedicated themselves in the days and months after September 11th can rest assured that we will be able to identify any signs of symptoms that may indicate long-term illness as a result of their work,” Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta said at the news conference, held at Fire Department headquarters.
The department will get $25 million of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ grant funds, which will be available to current and retired firefighters and EMS workers.
Officials said there is a pressing need to screen retirees because more than 2,000 firefighters retired after the attacks, nearly 10 times the average for a two-year period.
The screening program “is evidence that America has not forgotten,” said Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.).
The rest of the money will be distributed to area hospitals to screen and monitor volunteers at ground zero.
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