It is difficult to believe that the September 11 tragedy was seven years ago. It seems like yesterday. Although Manhattan slow progress on the construction of the new Freedom Tower, and the Pentagon is fully restored, there is a persistent problem that goes beyond the tragic events of that day.
When the World Trade Center crumbled to the ground, the air was filled with smoke, dust and debris. As the days and weeks progressed, and finally calmed fires, and the smoke cleared, the question of what was in that debris that filled the air and covered the New York arrived. Steel, glass, concrete, paper. But there was also a variety of the most dangerous risks to health, including asbestos.
Many of those heroic first responders were not wearing protective equipment. In the chaos, it was not until several days later he was recalled these workers to wear protective clothing. Although the EPA says the exposure to asbestos disease from 11 September is very low, there has been a related mesothelioma deaths. Deborah Reeve was an emergency responder on September 11, a paramedic for the New York Fire Department. She began having symptoms early in 03 and was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 04. Reeve died of the disease in March 06, less than five years after its exposure on 9/11.
The case is unique in that Deborah Mesothelioma usually takes decades to develop. Health officials in the city refuse to recognize at this time that Reeve's death was caused by toxic dust from the remains of the World Trade Center, but doctors for the paramedic say they have little doubt what caused his illness. They say the amount of asbestos inhaled it must have been enormous.
It has been estimated that over 100,000 people were exposed to asbestos with the collapse of the World Trade Center on September 11, approximately 4,000 first responders. Because of this concern, and cases like Reeve, it is encouraging that those who were exposed to toxic smoke and dust caused by the September 11 attack undergo periodic examinations, including tests lung capacity and chest radiographs.
