Withheld 9/11 Data Jeopardized First Responder Health, Union Claims
New York City officials concealed crucial air-quality data and toxin information from the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks, potentially endangering the lives of first responders and thousands of others.
The revelation,brought to light by the city’s recent release of 68 boxes of records,has ignited outrage from the Uniformed Firefighters Association (UFA). UFA President Andrew Ansbro demanded accountability Monday,questioning who authorized assurances of safe air quality in lower Manhattan in the days and weeks following the attacks.
“Initially,” Ansbro stated at a news conference held near the World Trade Center site,where 2,606 people lost their lives less than 25 years ago. He continued, emphasizing a perceived prioritization of the city’s interests over the well-being of those who responded to the crisis. “I think it’s vital for people to know that there where people back than that chose to protect the city’s interests and not protect the interest of New York City firefighters, and other responders and civilians that were down there.” Ansbro urged Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani to prioritize transparency and accountability in addressing the issue. Mamdani’s transition team has not yet responded to requests for comment.
The records were produced by city officials in recent months from a Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) office, over two years after a Freedom of information Act request was filed in September 2023. The request, submitted by attorney Andrew Carboy on behalf of 9/11 Health Watch, an advocacy association for first responders and survivors, sought information regarding the Giuliani management’s knowledge of the health impacts of toxins at Ground Zero. Initially, DEP officials claimed the documents did not exist and denied the request.
Ansbro believes the records contain vital data identifying the specific toxins inhaled by first responders and others at the site.He argued that earlier access to this information could have led to more accurate diagnoses and more effective treatment for his members. The UFA played a key role in the passage of legislation establishing the 2011 World trade Center Health Programme, which provides medical screening and treatment for 9/11 first responders.
“We could be looking at more illnesses that have latency periods of 25, 30 years, based on chemical exposure,” Ansbro explained, noting his union represents approximately 20,000 active and retired firefighters. “These are all things that we could have been looking at and studying for the last 20 years. The city chose to keep them hidden.”
A representative for Mayor Eric Adams declined to comment on the specifics of the situation due to ongoing litigation,but affirmed the mayor’s “unwavering” commitment to 9/11 first responders. “While we cannot comment on the specifics of pending litigation,the city has begun turning over documents to plaintiff’s counsel,and both parties are working out a schedule to continue this process,” the City Hall representative stated.
The city has been attempting to dismiss a subsequent lawsuit filed by 9/11 Health Watch for over a year, according to Carboy. City attorneys previously maintained that a “diligent search” yielded no relevant records. However, this stance shifted following the passage of legislation sponsored by City Council member Gale Brewer (D-Manhattan), directing the Department of investigation to examine what officials knew about the toxins that caused illness and death. “I think it is indeed a ample factor in bringing this disclosure to light,” Carboy said.
Last week, Carboy and other legal representatives from 9/11 Health Watch reviewed 20 boxes of the released documents, which focused on air testing for asbestos, metals, and other chemicals following the attacks. A document from the city’s Law Department in 2002 directed agencies to preserve records potentially relevant to future litigation, Carboy revealed.
Carboy has since filed papers in New York State Supreme Court requesting depositions from Russell Pecunies,the DEP’s Freedom of Information appeals officer,and other unnamed officials regarding the existence of the recently released documents.
Ansbro implored the incoming Mamdani administration to prioritize a thorough investigation.”Everyone that was exposed,they need to know,” the union chief emphasized. “Their families need to know who lied to them. They need to be held accountable.”
