News article about recovery and commemoration, Sept 2002

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

LungAih^t^ ...throat tnrttations; SOpercent toad eye irritations or arfecCtons; 47 percent toad cm^bs. lAtoowt 38 perc^t toad signs of post-<ratima^ str^. People who worked tat the area also had health concerns and stress- related problems. Sherry Baron, an oKlOted with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Heatm, said that at the time, health officials did not realize how deeply those peo- ple ^rare affected. “Perhaps one of the iesstms we can learn,” Dr. {Baron said, “is to have adequ^ outreacto prt^ams and other kinds of serv- ices ready and available to aanat* w^r group of people than we might have tlKHight about at the time." The new reporis also address ques&ms abootthe ftrefighters’ use — or failure to use — respirators. In the first hours after the attack, most of tite thousands trf resoiers and workers converging on the site rushed into the ayteling clouds of dust and smdce wSdantt rhudh r^geord for their itmgs, therq>orts say, based onsarveys of thewoikers. Amcmg titose who btd severe cases of tite cough, S3 percent saki they used respirators “rarely or tan at sdl” on the first day aad only a bale BQore in suixsequent days. Reviews cX the emergency re­ sponse concluded that tills was part- ly the result ia< sHte task and also because New York Cit>- offidais and federal officials simply did not have the right gear on band. A week elapsed before most vrork- ers were weartag the device that fecteral worker-health officials de­ cided was best suited to the condi­ tions: a half-face respirator, a rub­ bery mask that seals arouitdtiie nose and mouth and can be fitted witii differmit filters. {boring their first hours at tire site. firef^ftiers oftmi had inaf^ntgufate prottiuon. Dr. Baran and other health officials found. Most either had no lung protection or used paper masks. Others relied cm the heavy badkpack-style pressurized breath­ ing systems they use to fight conven­ tional fires. But these wore cumber­ some, and provided air for only about 8 to 15 minutes. Dr. Prezant said. At the trade center. Dr. Baron said, “It took just abmit a week be­ fore the normal systems and $cg>- piies kicked into place.” “The lesson here is bow to move that process up three or four days,” she said. Dr. Prezant said that ironworkers at the site also had increased rates of respiratory pr^otems, but were be­ ing studtad l^otiier researchers who had not yet pdMU^ied their fibodinss.

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