State lagging in efforts to help its 9/11 ‘heroes’

By SHERRY HALBROOK
In some ways the dust still hasn’t settled from the tragic collapse of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

“We know some of our members are reporting long-term respiratory, psychological and other problems related to the collapse and its aftermath. But, so far, the state has not been willing to share the summary of data about our members and other state employees that was gathered in the World Trade Center Medical Monitoring program,” said Jonathan Rosen, PEF’s director of occupational safety and health. 

“The state also refused to apply in January for a five-year federal grant to pay for continued monitoring of its employees who participated in the rescue, recovery and related activities after the buildings collapsed,

“This was an unprecedented event that posed unique health hazards for our members and other state employees. We need to continue monitoring the health of these employees for an extended time to identify negative health effects and effective treatments.” Rosen said.

When the state declined to seek funding for further medical monitoring of its employees, PEF supported the grant applications of Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and other clinics on Long Island and in Albany which conducted similar monitoring.

According to Rosen, PEF has worked with Mt. Sinai in the past on similar issues, such as when the Binghamton State Office Building was contaminated with PCBs and Dioxin during a transformer fire in 1980.

The hospital and clinics would give PEF members information about available benefits that could help them for “years to come,” Rosen added.

However, letting these other programs do the future monitoring of state employees doesn’t let the state off the hook entirely. PEF is pressing the state to give these employees release time to go for their medical exams.

Communicator Homepage March 04

Inside This Issue
Features
PEF tells lawmakers to keep
Court rules grievance denial
Battle for Middletown Psych Center
PEF rejects state’s contract offer
Take the contract pledge
Saving Camp McGregor
Shadow agencies undercutting trust
Parole rule changes spark concerns

Departments
President's Message
Member's Mailbag
PS&T Contract Update
Nurses' Station
Member Mobilization
Health Notes
Retirees In Action
Back Cover Ad
PEF Membership Benefits &Travel

Union Matters
PEF victory allows Downstate nurses
State lagging to help its 9/11 ‘heroes’
Struggle to save members at OCFS
WTC recovery worker still sick, hurting
PEF political volunteers get out the vote
Nurses set Lobby Day for May 4
Mobilizer conference, workshops
Vacant PEF Board seat filled
Attention Veterans

Save these dates:
April 21-25
Somos El Futuro!
The annual weekend conference in Albany of the Caucus of NYS Hispanic and Puerto Rican Legislators
For more information, to volunteer, or make reservations for the reception, call Helen Brooks at the PEF Legislative Office, 1-800-724-4997.

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