Talent La Penna Prolifica™

Deutsche Bank Fire Reopens Old Wounds

By La Penna Prolifica™ | 2007

Deutsche Bank Fire Reopens Old Wounds

By Michael LaPenna

August 25, 2007

As many of you know, last week’s Deustche Bank building fire reopened many of the lingering public health concerns left from the 9/11 Trade Center collapse. Worries about toxic dust clouds, particulate matter, and health issues ranging from simple headaches to respiratory disease, chemical sensitivity and cancers continue to present problems for those who worked or lived in or in close proximity to Ground Zero.

Unfortunately, many of the people seen on the nightly news whistle blowing and stating their respective cases are not claiming in any way to be affiliated with the NYPD, FDNY or local EMT units. Rather, they are the un-uniformed men and women who were just there when it all went down. I know this because my father was one of many who just did whatever they could to help.

So, in the aftermath of the tragedy, I (as did many New Yorkers) assumed that the city would be cleaned up and restored to what should be its optimum functionality. We were told by our own Environmental Protection Agency that that the air was safe and we could all go back to our lives as normal. Everyone did, and now the people who worked and lived in and around the area are falling ill in alarming numbers.

According to the combined research of the FDNY, Mt. Sinai, Hospital and Hershey Penn-State, researchers have found scary results: Tens of thousands of rescue and recovery workers are documented as sick. Clinical studies show that 100% of those exposed to this dust have lung decline as a result. There is no healthy 30% as we usually see in Sick Building Syndrome and Gulf War Syndrome toxic exposure cases. Hundreds of thousands of people are known to have been exposed to these toxins, according to Donna Flayhan, PhD of the Lower Manhattan Public Health Project.

Also, common sense would tell a person that it’s really not good to breathe in cremated computer screens, windows and at worst, human remains. This seems a no-brainer! The Deustche building was adjacent to the south tower and had not been cleaned fully since 9/11. Unbelievably, as reported in the mainstream press, body parts were still turning up as late as last month! The following is a side-by-side comparison of statements from New York City mayor Mike Bloomberg and LMPHP Director Donna Flayhan taken from Flayhan’s own August 19 press release:

Donna Flayhan started out by saying, “This is a disaster and a disgrace. That particulate matter filling the Deutsche building from 9/11 is the most toxic particulate matter on record in history,”

Flayhan, who is the Director of the Lower Manhattan Public Health Project and an expert in toxic synergy and acceleration of diseases goes on to explain, “just as in September 2001 through June 2002, this is a political rather than scientific reassurance from politicians. Workers and residents are being exposed to and reassured about toxins that they should be protected from.”

Bloomberg is quoted as saying according the the New York Times on August 19 2007, “preliminary air-quality tests showed an increase in particulate matter but no hazardous contaminants.”

Flayhan’s response to Bloomberg was to be expected. She said, “As long as the particulate matter readings are elevated from that toxic building fire, people should be evacuated,”

At the Saturday evening news conference, the New York Times reports that Mayor Bloomberg said, “Air quality and the environmental impact, as you might imagine, are a top concern to us and we are monitoring the situation very closely.”

Flayhan was quick to respond yet again, and with good reason. “In toxic exposure cases, you EVACUATE and then monitor…” Flayhan is quoted as saying.

Professor Flayhan explains that “this reaction of the city Government is based on Politics, not Public Health. Once again the City Government has it backwards. In a toxic disaster situation, natural or manmade, whether they are toxic environmental spills, fires, or leaks, and particularly in urban areas. There is a protocol, you evacuate, monitor, clean-up if necessary, then re-enter. It is a basic 1-2-3-4 in public health. 1) You inform and evacuate 2) monitor 3) clean it up 4) re-enter. Steps 1 and 3 were not done 6 years ago and we are paying a high price. Let’s at least get it right this time.”

“In the area where particulate levels are elevated buildings need to be inspected and cleaned by workers trained, certified, and protected for hazardous materials cleanup. After September 11, everything was done wrong and people are disabled and dying as a result. We can’t afford to repeat that disastrous approach. We still need to clean up buildings in Lower Manhattan and deal with the toxic towers of dust at the Fresh Kill Landfill from the last tragic time, let’s not again compound tragedy with negligent public health policy” Flayhan continued.

Really… what happened to common sense? Putting aside politics? If a bunch of toxic crap came rumbling through your town would you not want to get it the hell out? Come on government bodies, use your heads! But alas, we the people may have to do all the big thinking and heavy lifting ourselves.