In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, emergency medical personnel from multiple agencies converged on the World Trade Center site to provide urgent medical care. Throughout the months of recovery operations, they breathed air filled with asbestos, heavy metals, chemical fumes, and combustion byproducts. When toxic exposures were at their highest during the critical early response period, most EMS personnel lacked adequate protective equipment.
Emergency medical personnel faced particular dangers during rescue, triage, and medical operations:
- Breathing in toxic dust particles through the mouth, throat, and lungs
- Contact with contaminated debris and surfaces during patient care
- Exposure to the collapse dust cloud settling on skin and clothing
- Inhaling smoke, fumes, and particulate matter from fires that continued for months
Studies tracking 2,281 FDNY EMS workers over a 12-year period documented significant disease incidence. EMS workers experienced a cumulative cancer incidence of 3.1 percent, along with elevated rates of respiratory and gastrointestinal disorders.
Many emergency medical personnel have been diagnosed with 9/11-related cancers, such as thyroid, leukemia, prostate, melanoma, multiple myeloma, and colon cancer, with diagnosis onset often at ages 39 to 52.
Chronic respiratory issues are widespread, with obstructive airway disease at approximately 11.8 percent and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) at approximately 12.1 percent. EMS workers are more than twice as likely to have asthma compared to the general population. The traumatic nature of their work led to high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and panic disorders.
Relevant job titles
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
- Emergency Medical Services (EMS) worker
- EMS responder
- FDNY EMS personnel
