Top 3 Myths in the 9/11 Community
| Michael Barasch
Although 23 years have passed since the 9/11 attacks, there are still misconceptions about the benefits available to the 9/11 community.
Here are the three most common myths about 9/11 benefits and what you need to know:
Myth #1: The 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) and World Trade Center Health Program are only for first responders. This is the biggest misconception in the 9/11 community. Nearly 400,000 downtown workers, residents, students, and teachers are eligible for the same health care and compensation as first responders. We need to spread the word as fewer than 10% of civilians have enrolled in the WTC Health Program, compared with over 80% of responders.
Myth #2: I don’t qualify for these programs if I have a family history of cancer or if I smoked. 69 cancers have been linked to the WTC toxins. If you were in the 9/11 exposure zone (south of Canal Street or the Staten Island landfill) on 9/11 or during the eight following months, it is presumed that your cancer was caused by your exposure.
Even if you have a family history of cancer, even if you smoked for 40 years and were diagnosed with lung cancer, even if you never wore sunscreen and were diagnosed with skin cancer, the VCF and WTC Health Program presume your illness was caused by your exposure to the WTC toxins. Your private doctors may not be aware of this presumption. You have to remember it. Become your own advocate and access the benefits you are owed.
Myth #3: I wasn’t there on 9/11, so I don’t qualify for these programs. Despite what government officials said, the air in Lower Manhattan was not “safe to breathe.” In fact, the buildings were on fire for 99 days and Lower Manhattan was toxic for 8 months after 9/11.
The VCF and WTC Health Program are available to anyone who was in Lower Manhattan between September 11th, 2001, and May 30th, 2002. Those who were in the exposure zone in the following days, weeks, or months must meet certain time requirements to qualify for the VCF.
VCF Exposure Zone Time Requirements
- Caught in the dust cloud on 9/11
- Spent more than 4 hours in the exposure zone between 9/11 and Sept. 14, 2001
- Spent more than 24 hours in the exposure zone during Sept. 2001
- Spent more than 80 hours in the exposure zone between 9/11 and May 30, 2002
- For Pentagon responders: worked at the site more than 4 hours between 9/11 and Nov. 19th.
Help us debunk these misconceptions. Spread the word about the Victim Compensation Fund and World Trade Center Health Program. Both of these programs are available to first responders as well as anyone who lived, worked, or went to school below Canal Street on or after 9/11.
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