By John Asburyjohn.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsburyUpdated September 1, 2026 4:16 pm
The FDNY has identified 12,161 members who have been diagnosed with at least one World Trade Center related condition, including 451 active on 9/11 who have since died, according to a report released Tuesday
The report analyzed the health effects on first responders on Sept. 11 and the days and months they followed. There were 529 related illnesses diagnosed in the first 16 years since 9/11, according to the report
As the department marks 25 years since the attack that killed 343 FDNY firefighters during the collapse of the Twin Towers on 9/11, officials are still seeking coverage of conditions including cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases and memory loss
Those who arrived at the Twin Towers in the hours immediately after 9/11 had about a 38% increased risk of a cardiovascular disease than those who arrived in the days and weeks afterward, the report found
Officials said cardiovascular disease was recently denied by the federal government as a 9/11-related illness, but officials are still working to add it and other emerging illnesses to the World Trade Center Health Program Zadroga Act. That act was renewed in February, to cover claims through 2090
About 157 retired firefighters who responded to help with the recovery effort after 9/11 have died from World Trade Center-related illnesses, bringing the total death toll of FDNY personnel, including EMS, to close to 600, fire officials said
Officials also said that early care, monitoring and treatment for possible illnesses, including cancers, have resulted in better outcomes for firefighters in the program
FDNY cancer patients have had better cancer survival rates than the New York general population, officials said. Of those diagnosed with World Trade Center-related cancers, 86% of patients were still alive five years after their diagnosis
The WTC Health Program now covers nearly all cancers, and as of last year, the report said more than 4,200 members are certified for cancer care, including 1,000 of whom have had more than one cancer
The report also said the WTC Health Program has made “major advances in identifying WTC-related health conditions and providing treatment/recovery options for our members
“Our research shows that the care provided by the program can reduce illness and improve outcomes over time. In 2001, more than 50% of our WTC-exposed members reported chronic cough. Since then, that number has declined and remains stable at around 9%. The prevalence of other lower respiratory symptoms, including wheezing and shortness of breath, has also decreased during the same time,” the report said
The report said there was also concern that some chemicals from Ground Zero have been linked to other diseases such as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease
There were 10 ALS-related deaths among FDNY first responders and four other cases at of the end of 2023, according the report. The number is slightly less than the average expected ALS deaths in the U.S. populations
“Our data for the New York City fire department has not shown an increase in ALS deaths compared to the general population. However, we are concerned about it, and we continue to study and collect data on that,” FDNY Chief Medical officer Dr. David Prezant said
The WTC health program covered more than 16,000 first responders. Of those first responders active on 9/11, 87% of members have retired
The World Trade Center Health program has conducted 230,000 monitoring exams and nearly 500,000 treatments and 221,000 mental health visits
“Everyone who responded that day remembers the endless dust and debris at the site. FDNY members tirelessly worked in rescue and recovery in the days, weeks, and months that followed,” FDNY Commissioner Lilian Bonsignore said in the report. “Exposure to dust, chemicals, and other hazards left many of our members with serious physical and mental health conditions and placed others at risk of developing them over time.”
By John Asburyjohn.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury
John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California
Streaming Now
Credit: Newsday
Public housing wait times … High school cancels football season … Nepal flood survivor speaks … Tracking scattered storms … Hollywood hits the Hamptons
Get more on these and other NewsdayTV stories
Streaming Now
Credit: Newsday
Public housing wait times … High school cancels football season … Nepal flood survivor speaks … Tracking scattered storms … Hollywood hits the Hamptons
Get more on these and other NewsdayTV stories
Most Popular
Latest videos
2:01
‘You could have a catastrophic failure’2:12
‘It would cost hundreds of millions of dollars’4:43
‘You have to check your entire body’1:04
How to avoid contracting tularemia
