NIOSH marks 9/11 day of remembrance

Washington — “The memories and impact of 9/11 have not faded with time,” NIOSH says in a video released on the 2023 National Day of Service and Remembrance. 

In an accompanying statement, NIOSH Director John Howard remembers those “who lost their lives, those who survived, and all who responded with courage and selflessness at the World Trade Center; the Pentagon; and in Shanksville, PA. To this day, we know that many still deal with health impacts, whether from injuries or illness.”

Howard is also the administrator of the World Trade Center Health Program, which provides no-cost medical monitoring and treatment for 9/11 emergency responders, recovery and cleanup workers, and volunteers. It also offers initial screenings and treatment to people who were present on the day of the attacks or who worked, lived or went to school in the New York City disaster area on or in the months after 9/11.

In 2022, NIOSH announced Health Effects of 9/11, an online exhibition that spotlights the ongoing health problems of workers who responded during and after the attacks. The exhibition, in which workers share their stories, can be visited in person at the CDC Roybal Campus in Atlanta.

“With more than 400,000 people estimated to have been exposed to toxins or suffer from physical or mental health conditions as result of 9/11, our work and commitment to provide compassionate WTC-related care continues,” Howard said.