Unions Back Bill
Council: Pay 9/11 Health-Care Costs

By ARI PAUL

City Council Member Michael E. McMahon introduced legislation Feb. 27 that would require the city to pay the health-care costs for 9/11 responders suffering from work-related illnesses and injuries who are awaiting their disability payments.

MICHAEL McMAHON: Take care of responders.

Joined by other Council Members and leaders of the city's uniformed unions, Mr. McMahon announced his bill during a press conference at City Hall.

'Deserve Best Care'

"We hold this truth self-evident: that anyone who raced to the fires and the disaster of 9/11 to save lives, anyone who went there to recover remains of loved ones and to bring solace to families, or worked that site thereafter to provide security and help us to reclaim that physical site deserve the best care, the best health care, that they need to recover from the illness that they face," he said. "What we're going to do with this legislation is force the city to, in comportment with the state legislation that passed in 2005, those who are entitled to disability are also entitled to have their full medical needs covered while they are awaiting the finalization of their disability claims."

Patrolmen's Benevolent Association President Patrick J. Lynch hailed the bill.

"We've done our job," he said of his members' response to 9/11. "This is one more step towards the city taking care of their obligation to help our members get better, pay for it and treat us with respect."

Backs Bill in Congress

Last month the City Council unanimously approved a resolution in support of the James Zadroga Act, a bill in the U.S. Congress that would secure permanent Federal funding for medical monitoring and treatment of workers and residents suffering from 9/11-related illnesses and injuries. James Zadroga was a Detective who worked at Ground Zero whose death in 2006 many believe was the result of illnesses he contracted during his time working there.

Uniformed Firefighter Association President Steve Cassidy said that many of his members were suffering from pulmonary illnesses and cancer as a result of their work at Ground Zero. The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene confirmed last year that 9/11 responders suffer from higher rates of asthma than the general population and that one in eight suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.

"We are certain that this bill is important because health care is the key for firefighters and cops and others who are sick after they sacrificed so much for the City of New York," Mr. Cassidy said.

Also on hand were officials from the Uniformed Fire Officers Association and Local 2507 of District Council 37, which represents Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics. Council Members Leroy Comrie, John Liu, Miguel Martinez, Eric Gioia and Simcha Felder were among those present.

"It is little to take care of those who risked everything," Mr. Cassidy said.

Mr. McMahon said that if his legislation passed, it would cost the city between $1 and $2 million in total to provide medical coverage to the workers.

"We don't have an exact estimate on the cost," he said. "This is not a break-the-bank type of proposal."