NYFD Workers Risk Lung Disease from Asbestos Exposure

August 7, 2006 - A study of 12,000 fire personnel from New York City who worked at the World Trade Center on the day of and after the 9/11 attacks shows that these men and women are at risk of developing many lung ailments now as well as later in life.

The study, conducted by Montefiore Medical Center and published in a recent issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, found that emergency services workers suffered “a significant reduction” in lung capacity from inhaling toxic substances that were unleashed when hijacked airliners hit and destroyed the trade center complex.

According to the study, fire department personnel who worked at or near the Trade Center carry an increased risk of lung ailments as they age.  Ailments such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) could be quite common in New York City firefighters in the next few decades, says the report.

It is believed that NYFD members who responded to the tragedy, as well as police officers, EMT workers, and even NYC residents who remained in the area of the WTC after the attacks, were probably exposed to hazardous asbestos, concrete dust, glass fibers, and many other toxic particles which could cause significant damage to their lungs.