Located in the Bedford Park section of the Bronx, Ladder Company 37 is one of the busiest firehouses in New York City. Stationed with Engine Co. 79 and Battalion 27, collectively, these fearless firefighters respond to over 11,000 calls per year.
One fateful call came on September 11, 2001 around 9:00 am, reporting that two Boeing 767 passenger planes crashed into one of the largest structures ever assembled, the World Trade Center. Dubbed by the media as Ground Zero, now almost twelve years later, that single event of terror is still impacting lives of the men and women who responded to the grisly scene.
A life forever changed by that horrific event is former New York fire department’s seasoned veteran Jim Reilly’s. Jim loved performing the duties required of his arduous job. So much so, that despite being off duty on 9/11, he still rushed to the scene of destruction and mayhem without hesitation. Jim was trained to save lives, thinking of others not himself was his sole focus.
Selfless acts like these are what many in the fire department do instinctively. What could happen is not on the minds of these brave men and women, but the unfortunate consequences are oftentimes inevitable.
So, it was not a total shock to Jim when a routine check-up for a cold turned into a discovery of a lump on his neck. It was thyroid cancer. The “C” word had been bandied about amongst the firefighters several years after 9/11 as a large number had already been stricken with various types of cancer, with thyroid cancer amongst the most common diagnosis. In fact, Jim’s partner with whom he worked alongside during the recovery efforts at Ground Zero, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, as well.
Not only were the workers exposed to blazing infernos, they also had to trudge through flying debris, toxic chemicals, ash, smoke and thick dust. The scene was a noxious mixture with which many spent weeks in close proximity, in an effort to clean, save and restore what evil had done.
As a result:
**99% of exposed firefighters within one week complained of at least one new respiratory illness.
**Within six months three percent had the “WTC (World Trade Center) cough”.
**The number of sarcoid (inflammatory nodules on multiple organs) cases increased.
**263 new cases of cancer were reported from September 11, 2001 – 2008
Source - http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/wtc/html/rescue/know.shtml
Unfortunately, Jim is one of the 263 that received a cancer diagnosis. His disease was one of the worst cases amongst his peers, because the cancer had spread into his lymph nodes. Soon after diagnosis, he underwent a total thyroidectomy and radiation. He fully expected to return to what he loves, his passion, but because the cancer had spread, part of his neck had to be removed causing extensive nerve damage in his neck, shoulder and arms. The Chief Medical Officer had to deliver Jim the bad news: “Your firefighting days are over”.
Jim was stunned! He believed he could rehab his way back and retire on his terms.
Staying on active duty was not to be however, and so, the extensive process of retirement began in November 2011, nearly 10 years to the day of the attack. Then, on August 1, 2012, Jim met with the State Board of Directors who finally declared Jim a retired New York firefighter.
Today, Jim says ”I am still having a few side effects from my surgery. I am not able to lift my left arm because of nerve damage, and my whole left side of my neck is numb. This makes it very difficult for me to move my neck to the left. I will not give up on getting better. Every day I work at getting stronger, and hope that someday it will pay off”.
It is evident to me, when talking to Jim that he loved being a firefighter and retiring early was not a part of his plan. Jim has no regrets, though, despite contracting the cancer that ended his career. He knows adjusting to his new life is not going to be easy, nevertheless, if you ask Jim if he would have dashed to the scene of a terrorist attack again on his day off, his response was as swift as his actions on 9/11…”I would do it all over again”.
**On August 14, 2006 former governor of New York signed into legislation expanding health benefits to the workers with cancer and respiratory diseases, presuming that the cause came from working at ground zero. The legislation was called The Zadroga Act
**On January 2, 2011 President Barak Obama, signed this act into law.
**Nearly a year later after the act was signed the New York Health department conducted a study and is claiming that they “have found no clear link between cancer and the dust, debris and fumes released by the burning wreckage of the twin towers.”
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