9/11 Responders Facing Dementia: A Call for Governmental Support
The tragic events of September 11, 2001, left an indelible mark on the world, but the lingering effects on the first responders who rushed to Ground Zero are only now coming into full view. Tom Beyrer, a former police officer, exemplifies the plight of many who served at the World Trade Center site. At the age of 65, Beyrer began to experience significant cognitive decline. Activities he once enjoyed became distant memories, and one night, in a state of confusion, he called his wife unable to remember his location. This narrative is becoming increasingly common among the heroes of that fateful day, prompting urgent calls for governmental intervention and support.
The World Trade Center Health Program, established by Congress in 2011, was designed to cover medical costs for illnesses linked to work at Ground Zero. However, cognitive impairment and dementia are not currently covered under this program. This omission has sparked significant concern among researchers and advocates who have found a disturbing trend: exposure to the neurotoxins and dust at Ground Zero can cause severe cognitive problems. Fine particulate matter, commonly found in air pollution, can enter the nose and damage the brain, making cognitive decline a potential risk for those who worked tirelessly in the aftermath of the attacks.
Tom Beyrer and other officers were among the first on the scene after the attack and spent days without protective gear, leading to potential exposure to harmful chemicals. A recent study highlighted that the longer responders were at Ground Zero and the less protective gear they wore, the higher their risk of developing dementia. Despite these findings, the World Trade Center Health Program maintains a high standard for adding new conditions to its list of covered illnesses, requiring consistent findings and multiple studies before making any changes.
Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand have expressed their support for further research to potentially add dementia to the list of covered conditions. They recognize the need for comprehensive studies to substantiate the claims made by affected responders. Beyrer, like many others, believes that the U.S. government should offer assistance to responders experiencing cognitive decline. The stories of individuals like Beyrer underscore the urgency of addressing this issue, as the cognitive impairment experienced by responders can be devastating and greatly impact their quality of life.
The study’s author, Caroline Tanner, emphasizes the importance of personal protective equipment (PPE) in industries where exposure to fine particulate matter is possible. Tanner’s research indicates that the use of PPE could mitigate some of the long-term health risks faced by first responders. Beyrer’s health issues extend beyond cognitive decline; he has also experienced lung, stomach, and sleep problems. Half of his left lung had to be removed due to a noncancerous growth likely caused by something he breathed in at Ground Zero. Despite these challenges, Beyrer considers himself fortunate compared to others who have lost loved ones.
While Beyrer acknowledges that there are times when he struggles with his health, he remains steadfast in his belief that he did what he needed to do as part of his job at Ground Zero. He and other responders are calling for more research and recognition of the potential health risks they faced and continue to face from their work. The World Trade Center Health Program is currently reviewing the findings of the study that links cognitive decline to exposure at Ground Zero. This review process is critical for the future well-being of thousands of responders who continue to suffer the consequences of their heroic actions.
The high standard for adding new conditions to the list of covered illnesses means that consistent findings and multiple studies are required. Benjamin Luft, co-author of the study, believes that exposure to harmful chemicals may have contributed to the higher risk of dementia in responders, but this cannot be confirmed at this time. The results of the study highlight the need for public health measures to protect people from exposure to fine particulate matter, such as firefighters and those living near forest fires. These findings have broader implications for occupational health and safety standards, particularly in disaster response scenarios.
Thomas Lenzo, another retired NYPD detective, worked at Ground Zero and now suffers from memory problems despite having no family history of dementia. Lenzo struggles to remember details from his time at Ground Zero and even stories from his childhood. He was interviewed just before the 23rd anniversary of the attacks, reflecting on the cognitive challenges he faces. Lenzo is one of more than 5,000 9/11 responders studied by Stony Brook University to determine the link between exposure to toxic dust and early onset dementia. The study found that responders who were more exposed to air pollutants had a higher likelihood of early onset dementia.
The use of personal protective equipment may help prevent dementia in the future for those exposed to an uncontrolled building collapse. Experts would expect roughly five cases of dementia out of 5,000 similarly aged people in the general population, but the study’s participants had an average age of 53 years old, indicating a troubling trend of early onset dementia among responders. Stony Brook plans to use the study to apply for dementia to be a covered medical condition in the World Trade Center Health Program. Currently, the program covers treatment and monitoring for a range of conditions for those affected by the 9/11 attacks, but dementia is not one of them.
Steven Doyle, a retired FDNY firefighter and part of the study, experienced health issues linked to Ground Zero exposure. He retired due to lung and esophagus issues and now struggles with memory problems. Doyle has undergone neurological and blood tests, highlighting the extensive medical evaluations responders must endure. Benjamin Luft emphasized that significant cognitive problems are rare before the age of 65, making the findings of the study even more alarming. Many of the first responders in the study are educated and skilled individuals, which makes their cognitive declines particularly significant and concerning.
Lenzo worked at multiple locations related to the aftermath of 9/11, including Ground Zero and the Staten Island landfill. He has dealt with skin cancer, sleep apnea, and gastroesophageal reflux disease as a result of his work. Lenzo has also experienced a slow deterioration of his memory and now takes notes on his phone to combat it. The symptoms of cognitive impairment took 19 years to manifest in these responders, underscoring the long-term nature of their health challenges. The unique combination of toxins and stress experienced during the aftermath of the attack may contribute to the cognitive impairment observed in these individuals.
Researchers are working diligently to gather more data and better understand the cognitive decline of World Trade Center responders. Some believe that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may also play a role in the cognitive decline observed in responders. It is crucial for there to be more awareness and support for responders experiencing cognitive impairment. The hope is that through increased research and understanding, effective treatments can be developed for those affected. The stories of responders like Beyrer and Lenzo remind us of the long-term impact that the events of 9/11 continue to have, even after 19 years.
A study conducted in June of this year on 9/11 first responders who worked for a year at the World Trade Center twin towers site found that severe exposure to toxic dust and debris led to higher rates of dementia before the age of 65. Those who wore proper personal protective equipment were relatively safer, but the collapse of the twin towers contained a wide variety of hazardous materials that can harm the brain even twenty-three years later. This event still brings health challenges for first responders, with thousands now facing increased risks for dementia. The research compared first responders to those who worked at the site but were not exposed to dust or properly protected with PPE.