9/11 victims advocates push awareness for NYPD retirees in Florida after promise of lifetime health care

BRADENTON, Fla. - More than two decades after the September 11 attacks, first responders who rushed into danger are now being guaranteed lifetime healthcare coverage following new legislation passed by Congress earlier this month.

For many retired first responders living in Florida, including hundreds of former NYPD officers, the scars of 9/11 are still physical, emotional and ongoing. At a meeting held at the Fraternal Order of Police lodge in Bradenton, dozens of retired officers gathered to learn how the updated legislation aims to close gaps in care and expand access to benefits tied to 9/11-related illnesses.

READ: Seasoned Sarasota officers recall protecting the president on September 11, 2001

Big picture view:

From cancers to chronic respiratory disease and PTSD, advocates said the toll of exposure to toxic dust and debris continues to grow.

"When the government assured us that the air was safe to breathe it wasn’t," said Attorney Michael Barasch.

Barasch, whose office was located just two blocks from Ground Zero, watched terror unfold that day in September 2001. He has spent years representing first responders, and he said the long-term consequences have surpassed the initial tragedy.

MORE: USF program trains students for national security careers 24 years after Sept. 11 attacks

"Over 9,000 people have now died of 9/11 illnesses," Barasch said. "That’s three times as many people that died on 9/1l and over 49,000 people have been certified with a 9/11 cancer. It's heartbreaking. But what’s worse is when people don’t access their benefits."

Barasch said there’s been an explosion of 911-related cancers over the last few years.

"I lose two clients a day," he said.

Why you should care:

Inside the Bradenton meeting, a dozen heroes raised their hands as someone who responded to one of the three attack sites. Each carries their own story — the friends they lost that day, the illnesses they have faced or decades of advocacy for recognition.

READ: 9/11 victims: 3 more people identified decades after attack

Retired NYPD Transit Officer Chaplain C.J. Messina said cancer eventually caught up with him in 2024. He is now in remission after early detection during a free body scan at an FOP event.

"I had kidney cancer. They found it by the grace of God," Messina said.

Early detection, he stressed, is key, and all the scans and checks are covered by the health program. Messina and others said they were exposed to hazardous conditions without proper protective gear while working the pile in the aftermath of the attacks.

"None of us should have been down there without hazmat suits," he said.

Dig deeper:

For years, the World Trade Center Health Program only recognized a limited number of cancers linked to 9/11 exposure. Advocates said that has now changed, with 69 cancers officially tied to toxins from Ground Zero.

MORE: 9/11 victims advocate meets with retired first responders in Tampa about compensation fund

"NIOSH didn't link all these cancers until 2012, 13, 14, and most recently 2022. So it's an ongoing thing, but if your spouse died in 2008 from a cancer, you may not connect the dots and realize, ‘Wow, I'm entitled to half a million dollars,’" said Barasch.  

Under the updated benefits framework, first responders and, in some cases, their surviving family members can retroactively apply for compensation. Barasch said the government has set aside compensation funds for those diagnosed with qualifying cancers and additional benefits for spouses in the event of a death tied to 9/11-related illness.

"The government's setting aside $250,000 for cancer and, God forbid you die, your spouse is entitled to another $400,000. But, it breaks my heart that so many retirees down here in Florida aren't aware that they're still eligible for these programs," said Barasch. "And you know what, that can make the difference between someone keeping their home or losing their home."

What's next:

Advocates emphasize the healthcare coverage and compensation are not limited to New York police officers. The programs apply to anyone who responded or volunteered at Ground Zero, the Pentagon, or the Shanksville crash site, regardless of their home state or agency.

The World Trade Center Health Program also includes mental health services, including treatment for PTSD, recognizing the lasting psychological toll of the attacks.

For many first responders now living in the Tampa Bay area, the message is simple: Help is available and accessing it could mean the difference between financial stability and hardship as they continue to battle illnesses tied to their service.