By MOLLY CHARBONEAU

The federal Environmental Protection Agency came under fire Feb. 11 at a U.S. Senate hearing held in lower Manhattan for prematurely stating that polluted air from the World Trade Center disaster was safe.

Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.) presided at the hearing in a packed auditorium before a throng of reporters and camera crews.

DC 37 member Judith Burger-Arroyo testified and DC 37 Administrator Lee Saunders spoke at a news conference on the issues.

The union said federal funds must be set aside to address the safety and health needs of workers impacted by the disaster. Many other unions, health and environmental experts, elected officials, area residents, parent groups and researchers also testified and called for federal action.

"Our people went down immediately on Sept. 11. They were not using respirators, they were not using any protective gear, and we believe that they've got to be tested," said former DC 37 Administrator Lee Saunders in an interview with Channel 4, which aired that evening.

"Adequate funds must be specifically earmarked for the medical testing and treatment of employees who were exposed to dangerous chemicals in and around Ground Zero," said Ms. Burger-Arroyo, a Public Health Nurse.

She also testified about DC 37 members' heroic rescue efforts and described how she and others in United Federation of Nurses Local 436 staffed 24-hour emergency shelters in schools after Sept. 11.

"To date, only some of the employees working at Ground Zero have received baseline medical examinations. Unfortunately, hundreds of others have not," Ms. Burger-Arroyo stated.

"Monies for medical testing, treatment and surveillance of workers should be allocated to the New York State occupational health clinic network, which is well equipped and staffed but lacks adequate funding to deal with the huge numbers of workers potentially affected by this disaster," she said.

If you were exposed or have experienced health problems due to the WTC disaster or its aftermath, be sure to complete and mail in the DC 37 WTC Disaster Incident Report Form that appeared in the Feb. 2002 issue of PEP.

Copies of the form can obtained from the DC 37 Safety and Health Dept. at (212) 815-1685. Use the postage-paid envelope that was enclosed in the PEP or send the forms in a regular envelope to District Council 37, AFSCME, Attn: Safety and Health Dept., 125 Barclay St., New York, NY 10007.