Two weeks after the death of a former NYPD
detective was linked to his work at the
World Trade Center site, the federal
government's new 9/11 health coordinator
arrived in New York Friday.
Doctor John Howard met with local lawmakers and community leaders in Manhattan to discuss the goals and challenges of the work ahead.
His position was created in the Department of Health and Human Services to monitor the health impacts of September 11th.
Dr. Howard says he not only wants to track the health problems of emergency first responders, but also those of non-responders, such as volunteers and residents.
"We can look at what happened at this disaster at a national level and not repeat some of these terrific problems that we're experiencing now five years after the fact," said Dr. Howard.
"Dr. Howard gives us a chance for having the rational basis from which to make better decisions going forward so we will never again have our government say, "Oh the air is fine!" added Senator Hillary Clinton.
In January, NYPD Officer James Zadroga died from what medical examiners in New Jersey later said were brain and respiratory complications caused by his work at the World Trade Center site in the weeks after 9/11.
NY1's Sandra Endo filed this report.
Doctor John Howard met with local lawmakers and community leaders in Manhattan to discuss the goals and challenges of the work ahead.
His position was created in the Department of Health and Human Services to monitor the health impacts of September 11th.
Dr. Howard says he not only wants to track the health problems of emergency first responders, but also those of non-responders, such as volunteers and residents.
"We can look at what happened at this disaster at a national level and not repeat some of these terrific problems that we're experiencing now five years after the fact," said Dr. Howard.
"Dr. Howard gives us a chance for having the rational basis from which to make better decisions going forward so we will never again have our government say, "Oh the air is fine!" added Senator Hillary Clinton.
In January, NYPD Officer James Zadroga died from what medical examiners in New Jersey later said were brain and respiratory complications caused by his work at the World Trade Center site in the weeks after 9/11.
NY1's Sandra Endo filed this report.
