The devastating toll of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks continues to impact the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY), with the number of members who have died from World Trade Center-related illnesses now surpassing those killed on the day of the attacks themselves, according to advocates.
Fire department union leaders and supporters gathered on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, to mark the recent release of 170,000 documents concerning air quality and the aftermath of 9/11. They also drew attention to the lingering health consequences for first responders.
Robert Eustace, president of the FDNY Uniformed Firefighters Association, stated that firefighters buried the 453rd FDNY member to die from a 9/11-related illness on Tuesday. This figure surpasses the 343 members who died during the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
"For the FDNY, Sept. 11 did not end on Sept. 11," Eustace said. He described the ongoing struggles faced by members, including those with breathing difficulties, undergoing chemotherapy, and widows raising children whose fathers are not coming home.
"The retiree who survived 9/11 only to find out, years later, that the dust he breathed in is still killing him," Eustace added. "That's why today matters."
The remarks were made in the context of a recent gathering to discuss the health status of FDNY firefighters involved in the 9/11 attacks and the subsequent cleanup of the World Trade Center site. Eustace spoke at a podium surrounded by fellow members, highlighting the persistent health crisis.
