Living Heart Foundation

LHF Health Screenings For WTC Disaster Rescuers

Over 1750 Rescue and Relief Workers have sought help since the program's first day, Friday, September 28, 2001 at the Police Academy, 235 E. 20th Street. This article, written in October 2001, describes the screening process during the agonizing weeks after September 11, 2001.

"All rescue workers find themselves at greater risk for lung and heart damage," said Arthur J. Roberts, M.D., and LHF President. "When coupled with the horrible conditions these men and women encounter at the disaster site, there is a real risk for health problems that we must address. Some WTC heroes are already presenting with symptoms including chest pain, cough, and shortness of breath. Our concern extends to the long-term impact of intense, multiple hour direct exposure to airborne toxins and the grim smoke at 'Ground Zero'. We are not only identifying immediate problems but will create a baseline of data in the likelihood that these courageous men and women develop heart and lung disease in the future."

Approved by the Office of Emergency Management and the New York Police Department, the project is getting off the ground quickly thanks to the help of dozens of volunteer doctors and nurses. Medical manufacturing companies like Acuson (a Siemens company), QRS Diagnostics, IMDP - Cardiovision and Cholestech have donated equipment and technical expertise.

LHF is coordinating support from several area hospitals and hospitals across the United States which are establishing a national database to evaluate and to record the data from the heart and lung screening process. Volunteers, including echocardiographic and respiratory technicians, nurses, social workers, and experienced computer professionals are also needed to help deliver the screening process. Martin Goldman, M.D., Director of Echocardiology at Mount Sinai Medical Center is organizing the echocardiographic component of the screening process. Jeffery Borer, M.D., Professor of Medicine at Presbyterian - New York Hospital - Cornell section is coordinating the clinical significance of cardiac changes related to the inhalation exposure.

Robert Gillio, M.D., a pulmonary physician and specialist from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is working with Paul Enright, M.D., University of Arizona, in coordinating the evaluation of lung function for the LHF team.

Yochai Birmbaum, M.D., attending cardiologist at the University of Texas. Galveston branch, is examining the electrocardiograms obtained from the WTC heroes to help in the search for signs of cardiac stress following the 9/11attacks.

Parenthetically, the medical procedures involve heart and lung screening tests to identify those people at risk who, once identified, would be directed to diagnostic evaluations and management under the supervision of their own personal doctors. LHF will be, as stated by Dr. Roberts, "a helpful heart and lung triage system for New York City."

"The bravery of our valiant force at the site of the WTC is an inspiration to us all. Some say they are working on the lid of hell. They inhale poisoned air with every breath they take. The Edison Foundation is standing with those who are serving on the frontlines at 'Ground Zero' by providing financial resources and administrative support to the LHF initiative. Contributions from concerned citizens and corporations are needed and medical volunteers will be appreciated. Everyone has a stake in efforts to restore, rebuild, and recover. I am confident that the public will help us deliver medical screening to all those who demonstrate their strength and heart on the job at 'Ground Zero,' day after day, " stated John P. Keegan, Chairman of the Edison Foundation.

Led by a distinguished group of nationally recognized physicians, LHF is a recently established not-for-profit corporation that is combating sudden cardiac death, which kills nearly 300,000 Americans each year. In addition to conducting public outreach on the causes of cardiac arrest and available treatment and risk-reduction plans, LHF provides training and promotes the use of automated external defibrillators, which have saved countless lives by permitting the prompt treatment of ventricular fibrillation.

Further, LHF is presently working with the National Football Foundation and the National Basketball Association and College Hall of Fame to improve the health of young athletes at high school and college levels, and is in the process of establishing a similar relationship with the National Football League to provide screening at the professional level.

LHF was originally underwritten by the Charles Edison Fund, a sister organization to the Edison Preservation Foundation. The Edison Foundations are charitable, tax-exempt, not-for-profit institutions based in New Jersey. The Charles Edison Fund supports medical research, science education and historic preservation. The Edison Preservation Foundation, in turn, was founded to preserve and advance the legacy of Thomas Alva Edison. A significant component of this mission is to protect and revitalize the Edison National Historic Site in West Orange, N.J.

"Until the very end of his life, Thomas Edison worked to harness technology for peace and humanity. In celebrating his legacy, we seek to promote this vision and to enable national and international community service to better our world," said John P. Keegan, Chairman of the Edison Foundations.