3rd AFSCME member dies from being a first responder!

Another 9/11 Victim

NEW YORK CITY

Cancer directly linked to asbestos has claimed the life of Deborah Reeve, a Local 2507 (DC 37) paramedic in New York City who was a first-responder at Ground Zero. Two 9/11 — and Local 2507 — colleagues perished some four years after beginning work at Ground Zero: EMT Tim Keller, 41, from complications of respiratory distress; and EMT Felix Hernandez, 31, from lung disease.

Family members say Reeve, who was 40, developed a persistent cough after working at the disaster site, and two years later was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a fatal cancer triggered by breathing airborne asbestos fibers.

Survivors of these AFSCME members have not received increased pension-fund payments from New York state for work-related injury resulting in death. "It's difficult to prove that the diseases are work related," explains Lee Clarke, director of Safety and Health for DC 37, which represents more than 3,000 rescuers and responders in the city. "If you jab yourself with a needle and get hepatitis C, you can prove injury. But 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina demonstrate that pension-compensation laws have not been written in ways that protect first-responders for illnesses resulting from disaster-related work."

http://www.afscme.org/publications/public_employee/2006/pemj0621.htm

Seems like they don't get much appreciation for that, doesn't it...

There were so many that went to help at Ground Zero and they are still facing a continued horror. If the post traumatic stress doesn't disable them the fallout (that our government said was not a danger) will. This issue of pension fund compensation needs to become a big one. Government/Municipal employees don't get much respect in some circles, anyway, but this is just awful.

Deepest sympathy on her loss.


Laura

I promise to be a cestrist Republican if I win

I will balance the budget without hurting the middle class

The air quality at ground zero was fine