@article{ref1,
title="The impact of the world trade center attack on FDNY firefighter retirement, disabilities, and pension benefits",
journal="American journal of industrial medicine",
year="2011",
author="Niles, J. K. and Webber, M. P. and Gustave, J. and Zeig-Owens, R. and Lee, R. and Glass, L. and Weiden, M. D. and Kelly, K. J. and Prezant, D. J.",
volume="54",
number="9",
pages="672-680",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Our goal was to examine the effect of the World Trade Center (WTC) attack and subsequent New York City Fire Department (FDNY) rescue/recovery activities on firefighter retirements. We also analyzed the financial impact associated with the increased number and proportion of service-connected &quot;accidental&quot; disability retirements on the FDNY pension system. METHODS: A total of 7,763 firefighters retired between 9/11/1994 and 9/10/2008. We compared the total number of retirements and the number and proportion of accidental disability retirements 7 years before and 7 years after the WTC attack. We categorized WTC-related accidental disability retirements by medical cause and worked with the New York City Office of the Actuary to approximate the financial impact by cause. RESULTS: In the 7 years before 9/11 there were 3,261 retirements, 48% (1,571) of which were accidental disability retirements. In the 7 years after 9/11, there were 4,502 retirements, 66% (2,970) were accidental disability retirements, of which 47% (1,402) were associated with WTC-related injuries or illnesses. After 9/11, the increase in accidental disability retirements was, for the most part, due to respiratory-related illnesses. Additional increases were attributed to psychological-related illnesses and musculoskeletal injuries incurred at the WTC site. Pension benefits associated with WTC-related accidental disability retirements have produced an increased financial burden of over $826 million on the FDNY pension system. CONCLUSIONS: The WTC attacks affected the health of the FDNY workforce resulting in more post-9/11 retirements than expected, and a larger proportion of these retirees with accidental disability pensions. Am. J. Ind. Med. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0271-3586",
doi="10.1002/ajim.20965",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajim.20965"
}