DEP Memo to City Council on WTC Matters

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document NOU-01I-)-MJ.

C. Protective Equipment

1. On September 12“^ or thereafter, was an assessment made as to whether residents, students and area workers in the Ground Zero vicinity should be given protective equipment? If so, who made such assessment and what were the results of such assessment?

2. Understanding that the City played the lead role in contracting for Ground Zero debris removal and clean-up, did the City play a role in providing protective gear or information about protective gear to any laborers or volunteers involved in the clean-up effort? If so, describe such role.

3 Did the City ever include worker or personnel protection requirements in such contracts for Ground Zero work? If so, please provide copies of such provisions.

4. After 9-11 the use of surgical masks downtown was widespread. Did the City ever determine if such masks were effective protection? What agency, if any, participated in the distribution of surgical masks?

5. Several rescue workers reported that they were told not to wear respiratory or other protective equipment. To what extent was the use of protective gear mandatory or voluntary for City employees? for workers involved in Ground Zero debris removal and clean-up? Which agency or individual made this determination? If equipment was required, which agencies were responsible for enforcing such requirements?

6. What steps has the City taken, and what steps does the current administration plan to take to assure that sick Ground Zero workers or volunteers receive funds for required treatment or other health coverage?

III- Command and Control

1. In light of the City’s experience during the 9-11 disaster in attempting to coordinate the efforts of various City agencies and to have City agencies efficiently interact with State and federal agencies to best protect the people of New York, is there now a clear protocol as to which City agency will take the lead in case of another environmental or Haz/Mat incident in NYC?

2. The Committee understands that at the federal level, EPA is regarded as the “lead agency” for response to environmental or Haz/Mat incidents. According to the OEM" s May. 2004 Citywide Incident Management System (CIMS) Unified Command Matrix, Haz/Mat incidents will be the primary responsibility of the NYPD, with the .FDNY as second lead. Why hasn’t DEP been assigned a primary responsibility for CBRNZHaz/Mat Life Safety and Mass Decontamination issues?

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