EMS Union Raps City
Flaws Remain In 9/11 Worker Aid

By ARI PAUL

Two City Council committees heard testimony Sept. 24 about alleged obstacles city agencies have presented to the medical treatment of 9/11 recovery workers and a Deputy Mayor's admission that some agencies need greater guidance on the issue.

The Chief-Leader/Pat Arnow PROGRESS REPORT: Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Linda Gibbs testifies Sept. 24 during a joint session of the City Council's Health and Civil Service and Labor Committees about the 9/11 rescue and recovery workers' access to medical care. Looking on is World Trade Center Health Coordinator Jeffrey Hon.

The Health and Civil Service and Labor committees held their third hearing in a series on the issue. Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Linda Gibbs and World Trade Center Health Coordinator Jeffrey Hon testified on behalf of the city.

'Patchwork Approaches'

Ms. Gibbs noted that while Mayor Bloomberg was working to expand and invest in treatment services, the city needed more Federal funding. She also said that there was no uniform standard among agencies in how they communicated with employees about Workers' Compensation and medical coverage.

"What we really see is a patchwork of disparate approaches," she said. "We found a number of agencies that were eager for more guidance."

Mr. Hon testified that he was making progress on improving a Web site that provides information for 9/11 rescue and recovery workers seeking medical assistance.

Representatives for Emergency Medical Service workers painted a bleak picture of their experiences to the committees.

Tale Too Terrible to Tell

Retired Emergency Medical Technician Stephen Hess, who was a 9/11 responder, has developed asthma, sleep apnea, arthritis, high blood pressure, chronic cough and other illnesses as a result of his work at Ground Zero. He began reading his testimony at the hearing but became so overwrought that he stood up and walked into the Council Chambers' bathroom. FDNY EMS Retirees Association President Marianne Pizzitola read his statement.

The Chief-Leader/Pat Arnow OVERWROUGHT: Marianne Pizzitola reads the testimony of retired EMT Stephen Hess (left), who claimed he is being denied access to medical care, at a City Council hearing. Looking on is EMS officers union president Thomas Eppinger.

"Not only are they refusing to take care of my mounting medical needs, they eventually fired me for becoming disabled as a result of 9/11," she read from his statement. "I was only allowed 18 months of LODI [Line of Duty Injury time) and despite the fact that the Fire Department's own doctors stated I was disabled, I was still terminated and [the New York City Employees' Retirement System] has repeatedly refused to grant me a disability pension."

Thomas Eppinger, the president of Uniformed EMS Officers Union Local 3621 of District Council 37, outlined several problems EMS workers encounter, arguing that Mr. Hess was just one example.

Coverage Cut Off

"Members have been advised that due to the NYC Law Department not paying claims, their practitioners and treatment centers will no longer care for them for free," he said.

Mr. Eppinger also lamented that EMS workers had to rely on the Fire Department for fitness evaluations.

"Currently there is Federal legislation that has been introduced that includes a provision for all FDNY members to be forced into the FDNY monitoring and treatment programs for WTC Health," he said. "Many of our active members will not admit to their illnesses during this exam out of fear. They are afraid that once they inform their employer they are ill, they will be placed on sick leave, and after they exhaust their leave banks they will be without a paycheck and, worse, terminated. As a result of members not going on record that they are ill, they secretly suffer and the health issues only get worse."

High Illness Rate

Out of Local 3621's 415 members, 65 have admitted to having 9/11-related illnesses, Mr. Eppinger testified. Civil Service and Labor Committee Chairman Joseph P. Addabbo asked if the union had expressed its concerns to the Bloomberg administration. Mr. Eppinger replied, "We've gotten nowhere with the city Law Department." Liaisons for U.S. Reps. Jerrold Nadler, Carolyn Maloney and Vito Fossella told the committees about the importance of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. This bill, as Congresswoman Maloney's representative said, would "ensure that everyone exposed to Ground Zero toxins has the right to be medically monitored and that anyone who is sick as a result has a right to treatment."

Mayor Bloomberg has voiced support for the bill and Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn introduced a resolution supporting it the following day.

After the hearing, Mr. Eppinger expressed optimism that the two committees would work to make things better for his members.

"These guys are great," he said. "They're fantastic. Nobody wants to hear that first-responders are getting screwed."

Invoking the post-9/11 mantra of "Never Forget," Council Health Committee Chairman Joel Rivera had a message for the EMS worker representatives at the conclusion of the hearing.

"Don't give up," he said.