Sickness and Cancer from Ground Zero 9-11 - World Trade Center

Back on September 8, 2006 it was reported that researchers developed a computer simulation of the cloud of smoke and airborne dust from the collapse and continued burning of the World Trade Center. Rutgers University scientist Georgiy Stenchikov worked with others to generate the air contaminant model, using data about the region's wind, temperature, and humidity to supplement surface and space-based observations. DISCOVER reported in the past that when twin towers collapsed on September 11, a cloud containing two million tons of dust containing cement, asbestos, glass, lead, and carcinogens was inhaled by firemen, police, emergency medical personnel, constructions, people and residents in the area.

A March 12, 2010 CNN article repeated the fact first responders and construction workers suffered from from asthma, other respiratory issues and blood cancer. The article stated that 37 year old firefighter Kenny Specht was one of those diagnosed with thyroid cancer. A retired police officer Gary Klein has lung scarring and stomach problems. Many have died or been ill since 2001 from lung cancer, leukemia, inflamed sinuses, mesothelioma and “The World Trade Center cough”. It was noted by the head of Mount Sinai’s Department of Preventive and Community Medicine, Phillip Landrigan that the concentrations of dust in the air were so high that they overwhelmed all the normal defenses of the human respiratory tract. People inhaled the particles into their trachea and bronchi. The New York City Fire Department didn't follow its own guidelines and had only 600 respirators for more than 11,200 uniformed members. There’s a separate lawsuit brewing about that.

As we head toward another 9/11 anniversary, it was reported in March 2010 that the City of New York agreed to a $575 million dollar settlement with more than 10,000 Ground Zero workers. That’s millions not billions. Since America does not have a health care system that would provide medical care for first responders and construction workers as a result of a homeland security situation, a million dollars is not a lot of money. A person receiving chemotherapy for cancer or mesothelioma that million dollars goes to medical bills. There’s nothing left for the family if the person dies. According to the New York Daily News article the terms of the settlement are a minimum payout of $3,200 for someone who is not sick but has a "fear of cancer." Terminal cancer patients could get $1 million. For the unfortunate families of the deceased, they could get $2 million.