Neglected Heroes

To the Editor:

It seems EMS Local 2507 Vice President Donald Faeth (Sept. 15 letter) and President Pat Bahnken of Local 2507 are trying to deflect attention from the real issue at hand by attacking my character.

The issue remains that the same people we call the heroes of 9/11 are now sick and fighting a battle for their lives. These workers are paying for their heroism with their health and their life's savings because the City of New York refuses to admit that their illnesses are a result of their exposure to toxic chemicals on 9/11 and in the year that followed. The FDNY has denied line-of-duty injury claims and continues to do so. The Law Department continues to deny claims, ignore bills and deny and prevent continued authorization for treatment. These actions prevent workers from getting the lifesaving treatment they need and deserve.

The men and women of the NYPD, FDNY and EMS are held up as heroes when it is time for an election. These politicians tell us we should always remember the bravery and brotherhood we witnessed. But if they truly remembered that day when our city's emergency workers responded without hesitation to a national tragedy of unimaginable proportion, how could they possibly say that ignoring the health concerns of any of those men and women is acceptable?

I understand that in the course of politics as usual it may seem like only a small group of people being denied, but on 9/11 these members lived up to their obligations. Isn't it time the Mayor did the same? Isn't it time that Local 2507 and all New Yorkers expected him to?

So I say to Mayor Bloomberg and the union leadership, this is not the time for name-calling; it is the time for brave action.

MARIANNE PIZZITOLA
EMS Local 2507 Retiree, President of the Uniformed FDNY EMS Retirees Association