At a signing ceremony held in Jersey City, Governor Murphy signed two bills designed to assist first responders who toiled at Ground Zero after the 9/11 attacks and active emergency response personnel.
The Bill Ricci World Trade Center Rescue, Recovery, and Cleanup Operations Act, named after a firefighter from Clifton, NJ who worked on rescue and recovery at the World Trade Center. He now has a respiratory disease that he says does not allow him to keep up with the physical demands of his job. But because he volunteered at the World Trade Center site and wasn’t on official duty, he has not received any compensation for his heroic work.
The bill changes the rules of the retirement system to provide volunteers at the World Trade Center site accidental disability retirement benefits.
Governor Murphy also signed the Thomas P. Canzanella Twenty First Century First Responders Protection Act, which will provide compensation coverage for public safety workers. The bill affirms that if, in the course of their employment, a public safety worker is exposed to a serious hazard, like a disease or biological toxin, all care and treatment costs of the worker will be compensated for.
The bill was named for Tom Canzanella, a Deputy Chief at the Hackensack, NJ fire department, who fought for the benefits rights of emergency responders after having spent several weeks at the World Trade Center sites after the 9/11 attacks. Mr. Canzanella passed away 12 years ago, but his fight has continue to this day and culminated with the signing of the bill named for him.
Will the families of those who suffered and died be compensated? What about those who spent their pensions and had to sell their homes to pay for treatment or cope with the financial hardships caused by their disabilities. Will the compensation be full compensation? Frankly, as a first 9/11 LE first responder I’m tired of all the federal and local grandstanding for labyrinthine quagmires that never amounted to anything other than paying lawyers for nothing. Let’s see how this p(l)ays out.
Ron, anyone who served and qualified for the WTC Health Program, needing two signed affidavits, would have all their WTC related health issues and medication paid for. With a WTC Certified condition, a responder might qualify for the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund. The 9/11 VCF limits lawyer fees to 10%, with no out of pocket money for responders. Anyone who knows someone who passed away from a 9/11 health condition should contact a lawyer to know their rights and limitations. I hope this helps.