Public Employee Press

State 9/11 program investigates member’s cancer death

The state Health Dept. is investigating the death of Radio Repair Mechanic Glenford Pennington, whose co-workers and sister believe he died of cancer because of his work at Ground Zero.

A Public Employee Press article on the Local 1087 member in June sparked the inquiry about Pennington, who succumbed to lymphoma cancer in 2006.

Pennington, who was 49 at the time of his death, worked at Ground Zero on 9/11 and subsequently to clean and repair communication gear for the Fire Dept.

The state Dept. of Health contacted the DC 37 Safety and Health Dept. after the article appeared to seek assistance in its investigation. The union referred the state to Pennington’s sister, Valorie Pennington, and PEP forwarded background information it had obtained while working on the story to the investigators.

The state World Trade Center Responders Fatality Investigation Program is collecting information about the deaths of responders and volunteers who worked at the disaster site.

In addition to establishing the cause of death, theinvestigation aims to determine whether Pennington’sillness is among a cluster of ailments associated with the fatalities of responders and volunteers, a state official said.

Cancer link to deaths?
Pennington’s case is significant because WTC medical investigators haven’t yet acknowledged a link between 9/11 deaths and cancers.
In May, Dr. Robin Herbert, co-director of the World Trade Center Medical Monitoring Program at Mount Sinai Hospital, said cancer-related deaths could become a “third wave” of illnesses related to the Sept. 11 tragedy. The “WTC cough” was the first wave, and more serious chronic lung diseases, such as sarcoidosis, are the second wave.

The WTC Responders Fatality Investigation Program is gathering information on deaths of responders and volunteers — such as Emergency Medical Service crews and other medical workers, Firefighters, Police officers, media employees, demolition and construction workers — who worked at Ground Zero and related sites between the Sept 11, 2001, attacks and June30, 2002.

You can help investigate 9/11 deaths
The state program investigating deaths related to the 9/11 disaster urges anyone with information on specific cases to come forward and help.

The program needs workers’ names, dates of birth and death and causes of death. The information could lead to improvements in medical treatment and coverage of responders and could help the families ofresponders suffering from illnesses to receivecompensation.

Anyone with information on the death of a responder should contact the program at WTCFatality@health. state.ny.us or call 866-807-2130 toll-free.

— Gregory N. Heires