Statement by Dr. John Howard on the September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance
Posted on byThe passage of time does not make the memories of 18 years ago any less vivid. As I take a moment on this National Day of Service and Remembrance to reflect on the events of September 11th, 2001, and the tragic loss of life on that day, I am also thinking of those people we are still losing to 9/11’s aftermath. The exposures at the World Trade Center in New York City, at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and at the Shanksville, Pennsylvania site have caused a wide variety of health conditions.
Congress established the World Trade Center Health Program to provide high quality medical care and monitoring to eligible 9/11 responders and survivors through 2090. The Program works diligently and respectfully to ensure that the right resources are in place to meet this important mission, as time cannot heal the wounds of 9/11 alone. Please join me in remembering those that we have lost and those that still need our help.
We will not forget.
John Howard, M.D.
Administrator, World Trade Center Health Program
Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Click here for a video of this message.
More about the WTC Health Program
The WTC Health Program provides monitoring and treatment services for covered WTC-related health conditions. For a complete list of conditions, visit the Covered Conditions page. The top conditions certified by the WTC Health Program include:
- Chronic Rhinosinusitis
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
- Asthma
- Certain Cancers
- Sleep Apnea
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
As of June 30th, 2019, WTC Health Program membership includes over 76,000 responders and nearly 22,000 survivors. Members of the WTC Health Program have important health needs and powerful stories of hope and healing. Visit the Program Videos page to see members share their stories of where they were and how they’ve been helped through the WTC Health Program.
For more information on the World Trade Center Health Program, including how to apply, information on WTC-related research, and additional Program statistics and resources, please visit the WTC Health Program website.
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We will not forget!
As a responder to Shanksville, the images of remains in buckets and the small aircraft parts in the tall grass will remain with me.
However, as the memory of 9/11 drifts further away from a generation, the lessons learned should be remembered and repeated daily:
Expect the unexpected
Plan for the extreme
Believe, that it can happen again
Be prepared
Thank you for your Remembrance.