FDNY union seeks clarification on city’s discovery of 68 boxes containing documents related to 9/11 toxins.
The Uniformed Firefighters Association, representing the firefighters of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY), has formally requested an explanation from City Hall following the revelation that 68 boxes of information regarding the health risks associated with toxins released during the September 11 attacks had been discovered. This finding comes in stark contrast to the city’s previous assertions that no records existed detailing what officials knew about Ground Zero’s hazardous conditions.
The president of the Uniformed Firefighters Association, Andrew Ansbro, lamented that for years, firefighters made crucial medical decisions based on the city’s statements that the air was safe and that there were no existing documents regarding the risks posed by the toxins at Ground Zero. Ansbro highlighted the intensity of the implications surrounding these documents, which reportedly contain tens of thousands of pages that could have influenced treatment protocols and potentially saved lives.
On September 11, 2001, a devastating attack claimed the lives of 343 FDNY firefighters, and since that day, over 400 additional firefighters have succumbed to illnesses believed to be linked to exposure to toxic materials present at the disaster site. Ansbro characterized the discovery of the long-hidden documents as a profound betrayal of those who risked their lives in the aftermath of the attacks, urging for sworn depositions from city officials to ascertain responsibility for the concealment of such critical information.
The issue further escalated in light of recent legislative efforts spearheaded by City Councilwoman Gale Brewer, who has advocated for the launch of an investigation into what the city knew regarding the toxins that have adversely affected the health of countless first responders. Interviews conducted by attorneys and representatives from health advocacy groups have begun, focusing on the review of the newly uncovered documentation.
The city’s Law Department has responded to the outcry by stating that their previous inability to locate physical documentation was accurate at the time of their reports, but circumstances have changed, demonstrating a commitment to produce the relevant documents. As this situation continues to unfold, the firefighters’ union remains resolute in its demand for transparency, vowing to ensure that no further pertinent records are concealed or sanitized. The ongoing battle for accountability and access to information underscores the ongoing struggles faced by first responders as they confront the long-term health ramifications of their service on that tragic day.
