‘Never forget’? 9/11 firefighters ‘Incensed’ as Trump cuts programs for cancer treatment

The Trump administration’s major downsizing at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has led to deep cuts in programs that are essential for firefighter health and safety. This has caused anger among first responders and advocacy groups. These cuts, part of a larger plan to reduce the size of the federal government, have badly hurt research into firefighter cancers, disrupted investigations into firefighter deaths, and reduced services for 9/11 responders.

As reported by Politico, firefighters have a much higher risk of cancer compared to the general public. Research from  NIOSH research found shows that firefighters have a 9% higher chance of being diagnosed with cancer and a 14% higher chance of dying from cancer. This increased risk comes from constant exposure to toxic chemicals during emergencies, made worse by stress and irregular sleep, per Politico.

The programs that were cut played a key role in understanding and reducing these risks. The cuts hit the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) especially hard. The Center for Firefighter Safety, Health, and Well-being, which includes the Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program, saw job losses, per Propublica.

Trumps cuts to CDC hurt 9/11 first responders

This program studies the causes of illnesses and deaths among first responders, and its work is critical for preventing future tragedies by learning from past incidents. Now, that work has been severely disrupted.

The National Firefighter Registry for Cancer, created in 2018, was meant to track the unusually high cancer rates among firefighters. Most of the team running this important database was let go, and data collection stopped. This registry was a major effort to study the causes of cancer in firefighters, and its future is now unclear, putting years of collected data and future research at risk.

The cuts also affected the World Trade Center Health Program, which provides medical care and monitoring for people exposed to toxins during the 9/11 attacks. Thousands of firefighters were among those helped by this program, and the reductions threaten ongoing care and research needed to understand the long-term health effects of 9/11 exposure.

The impact on 9/11 responders has been severe. Richard Alles, a New York City firefighter who worked during 9/11 and was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer, spoke out angrily about the cuts. He credits the World Trade Center Health Program with catching his cancer early and questions whether the Trump administration truly supports those who served during the disaster.

He said, “Republicans in general … love to wrap themselves in the flag on September 11. You know, ‘never forget. Well, where are you now?”

Firefighters, their unions, and advocacy groups have voiced deep frustration and worry. The stopping of research, the loss of vital services, and the possibility of delayed cancer diagnoses have caused widespread anger, especially since the Trump administration had previously claimed to support firefighters and first responders.