9/11 HEALTH IMPACT

Like so many of the 40,000 World Trade Center/Ground Zero rescuers and workers, Vincent Forras is paying the price for his efforts. The days and weeks of direct exposure to toxic substances, fumes and particulate matter, with little or no protection have fatally crippled his lungs. When combined with pressure of the collapsing buildings, and the intense heat that reached several thousand degrees, substances were created that were never known to the medical world before (most were lethal in nature). Vinny has WTC Cough: a symptom of Reactive Airway Dysfunction Syndrome. He is producing too much phlegm, has massive headaches, sinus problems, along with many souvenirs from Ground Zero. Many of the heroes that responded to that horrific scene have additional health problems, ranging from heart attacks and strokes, to all ranges of cancers (organs, blood, and bones). Of the 27 serious medical souvenirs (ailments), GERD [gastro-esophageal reflux] symptoms are among the top 4 or 5. This devastating condition was caused by the alkalinity of the air, that was greater than that of Drano. Imagine what would happen if you drank drain cleaner - this is what it was like for the many thousands of workers at Ground Zero. And that was actually the least of their worries.

Combining mis-diagnosis and extensive problems in getting much needed funds, these brave men and women are being forgotten, and possibly ignored. They selflessly gave of themselves, and now are not receiving the benefits that they deserve. The various government agencies and offices have stalled, stonewalled, and in many cases, outright denied the necessary coverage for these individuals. These heroes didn’t stop to check if they would be taken care of later, as they entered the devastation and worked tirelessly to recover remains of the victims from that day. They did it out of compassion, and because it was the right thing to do. Vinny has been on the forefront in talking about this prolem since soon after his Ground Zero service. At this time, November 2009, our so called representatives continue to do THE WRONG THING and argue about helping these heroes instead of helping them! This is unacceptable on every level and he and others continue to do their utmost to right this wrong.

Vinny takes many prescriptions, and needs an inhaler throughout the day. He believes that if it were not for his excellent physical condition from his lifestyle prior to 911 he may not be here today. Years after 9/11, his wife, Monica, is still picking pieces of glass out of his skin.


The government failed to anticipate and then properly treat these health problems caused by the attacks. This is a bipartisan problem and needs a bipartisan solution. On Sept. 18, 2001, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a statement that the air in Lower Manhattan was safe to breathe, even though the EPA had not finished tests for mercury, cadmium, lead, dioxin, and many other chemicals. People were never warned about the full range of dangers of working at Ground Zero, and the EPA Inspector General later released a report suggesting that pressure affected the judgment that the air was clean. No one kept a list of the people who worked at Ground Zero, and many of the rescue workers initially received the wrong treatment from their doctors - such as antibiotics for bronchitis caused by chemicals, not bacteria. The bigger priority for the government was reopening the financial markets and showing the world that America would not be cowed, and these heroes were neglected.

According to a New York Times piece published September 2006, the Mount Sinai Medical Center has found that the impact of the rescue and recovery effort on workers' health has been more widespread and persistent than previously thought, and is likely to linger far into the future. The study is among the first to show that many of the ailments initially reported by Ground Zero workers persisted or grew worse in these years after 9/11. An autopsy released in April of 2006, linking a retired detective's death to recovery work at Ground Zero, is an early harbinger of future deaths of these heroes from such exposure.

Dr. Stephen Levin's Mount Sinai study, and others like it, are expected to increase pressure on the federal government to provide assistance for sick workers. In August 2006, five years after the attacks, Governor Pataki finally signed new legislation assisting rescue workers and their families. Vincent had the opportunity to discuss the new plan's shortcomings with Governor Pataki on Fox News. Vincent has had to fight for his worker's compensation every step of the way. He is now required to prove and reprove his ailments. Payments that he finally gets are consistently late.

The health struggles Vinny and all of the Ground Zero workers face for their efforts that day, are only worsened by the government's lack of assistance. Many rescuers are reduced to lives of constant health issues, and expensive medical treatments. These heroes will be tethered to devices, mountains of medications, and treatments for the rest of their lives. We continue to loose our brave first responders, and they will become ghosts of 9/11 until finally all of them are gone.

For more information about Dr. Stephen Levin of the Mount Sinai-I.J. Selikoff Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, and his efforts to help with the ongoing and worsening health problems of the Ground Zero rescue and recovery workers, click here

For more information about the World Trade Center Medical Monitoring Program, click here: www.wtcexams.org