This week's announcement that the Medical Examiner is reopening the identification and notification process may be troubling for some families. As the Medical Examiner stated when the notification process was suspended last April, his office would be proactive in continuing their effort to identify the remains as new DNA technology becomes available.

We are distributing the letter from Dr. Charles Hirsch in this week's e-Newsletter as well as a form for family members to register with his office. You also should have recieved a special email from VOICES yesterday about the announcement. Please feel free to forward the information to other family members who may not be on our distribution list. On the notification form, families can indicate whether or not they want to be notified of new identifications. We encourage you to consult with your family and file the completed form with the ME's office soon to ensure your wishes are known.

All of us at VOICES commend Dr. Hirsch and his dedicated staff for the compassion and continued commitment to our families. The 9/11 families and New York City are fortunate to have such a remarkable individual and staff working on our behalf.

We are adding a special teleconference group on Friday, January 27th for 9/11 family members who wish to speak with a mental health professional about the difficult issues involved with identification and notification. Please read more about Friday's teleconference below.

If Friday's group does not work for you or you wish to speak with someone privately, please contact the VOICES office if our staff can be of any assistance as we continue though the notification process. You can reach us by calling our office at (866) 505-3911 or sending us an e-mail.

Warm Regards,

When: Friday, February 3, 2005
Time: 8:00 pm to Midnight
Where: Nicotra's Ballroom at the Hilton Garden Inn, 1100 South Avenue, Staten Island
Donation: $110 per ticket, $1,100 per table of 10, RSVP REQUIRED
Contact: or (718) 227-0812 for RSVP or more information

Join the friends and family of Joseph Maffeo for a four-course dinner and dancing featuring the music of Tommy Ricardo and T.R. Touch. The event will also feature a 50/50 "Big Bucks" Raffle and a Silent Auction. Also, the third annual "Staten Island Angel" award will be presented to Dennis McKeon, Co-Founder of St. Clare's WTC Outreach Program and Executive Director of Where-to-Turn. All proceeds benefit the Joseph Maffeo Foundation.

Please click here to send us information on your memorial or foundation event. The information will be posted on the VOICES website and included in upcoming e-Newsletters.

An announcement on Dna technology from the nyc medical examiner
New techniques re-open identification progress

The New York City Medical Examiner’s office announced this week that new DNA extraction technology will allow them to continue identifying remains recovered from the WTC site. VOICES has been asked to distribute a letter from Medical Examiner Dr. Charles Hirsch with information on the new DNA technology and what it means for 9/11 families. Click here to read the letter. We are also distributing a printable form for family members to complete, requesting whether or not they wish to be informed if remains of their loved one are identified in the future. Click here to download the form. Completed forms should be sent to the Medical Examiner’s Office at the address printed on the form.

As a reminder, VOICES mental health professionals and dedicated staff are here to help you through this emotional process. You can reach us Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. by calling our office at (866) 505-3911, or (203) 966-3911. After hours, please leave a message with contact information and we will return your call during the next business day. In addition, you can send us an e-mail at info@voicesofsept11.org.

On Tuesday, the US Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling that families of firefighters killed at the World Trade Center cannot sue the city and Motorola over allegedly faulty radios used on 9/11. The Justices agreed with the lower court’s determination that the FDNY family members waived their right to sue when they accepted money from the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund. The decision was met with dismay and anger by family members who argue that the faulty equipment resulted in lost lives on 9/11. "The justice system has turned a blind eye," said Rosaleen Tallon, whose brother, Sean Tallon, 26, died when Tower 1 collapsed. "It's very disappointing and frustrating," she added in a New York Daily News article.

The families accused New York and Motorola of entering into a fraudulent, no-bid contract that supplied firefighters with ineffective radios that city and company officials knew for years did not work in high-rise buildings, according to Associated Press coverage. The 9/11 Commission documented the FDNY communication problems, which first surfaced during the first WTC attack in 1993, in their 2004 Report. The Report’s section on “Preparedness Before September 11” claims “Rescue efforts by the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) were hampered by the inability of its radios to function in buildings as large as the Twin Towers” (Click here to read this section of the report). Despite the defects, these radios remained in use through 9/11, with tragic consequences.

WTC Families for Proper Burial has asked VOICES to pass on thanks to the many family members and friends who attended the court date last Friday. The display of solidarity showed Judge Hellerstein’s Court the support for the families’ struggle for respectful burial of our loved ones’ remains. Click for coverage of the hearing in the New York Times.

WTC Families for Proper Burial's next court conference is on March 10, 2006 at 1:00 PM. That could be a pivotal day. Time is short, and that means you, we, all have much to do. Click here for a message from Diane Horning at WTC Families for Proper Burial with information on how to get involved in this necessary cause.

wtc rescue and recovery workers face ongoing health problems
Lawsuit filed against city; two emt's died in 2005 from "wtc illness"

The death of NYPD Detective James Zadroga in early January has brought much-needed attention to the chronic health conditions affecting many of the selfless rescue and recovery workers at Ground Zero. However, Det. Zadroga is not the only first responder who has succumbed to what is becoming known as "WTC Illness." EMT Timothy Keller, 41, died June 23, 2005; EMT Felix Hernandez, 31, died Oct. 23, 2005. Their deaths have prompted family, friends and colleagues to talk about the life-threatening risks Ground Zero workers face. "There is no doubt in any of our minds that there is a direct correlation between their deaths and their participation at Ground Zero," Don Faeth, vice president of the Uniformed Emergency Medical Technicians & Paramedics — FDNY, Local 2507 is quoted in a New York Post article on Keller and Hernandez, two “hidden victims” of the WTC attacks.

5,000 First Responders, some already debilitated by illness, have filed a class action lawsuit pending in Manhattan Federal Court that accuses government officials and construction contractors of exposing workers to dangerous levels of toxins at Ground Zero and the Fresh Kills landfill, according to a New York Daily News article. Also, The New York Uniformed Firefighters' Association (UFA) announced Jan. 13 that two of its members and a Battalion Chief have died in recent months due to lung illnesses the union believes are linked to toxic exposures from Sept. 11 and its aftermath. UFA Vice President James Slevin said in a Civil Service Leader article that “the union has been actively involved with the pension board and initially we did not see deaths, only disability cases," Mr. Slevin said. "Now we are concerned that the doctors' timeline is right and that we will see a spike in cancer related deaths."

If you are having respiratory difficulties, unexplained pains, or other health problems that could be caused by your service at Ground Zero, there are resources to help you get the care you need.

Click here for a list of ongoing medical offerings for Ground Zero workers.

January 28, 2006
A Conference Dedicated Toward Identifying Issues And Developing Solutions To Problems Still Faced By The Unsung Heroes of 9/11: Responders, Clean-Up, Rescue and Recovery Workers.
Time: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Place: Suffolk County Community College, Brentwood Campus
Contact: Jonathan F. Sferazo, 631-423-0277, email: LenaJohn@optonline.net

More information and a mail-in registration form is available in a printable flyer for the event. Click to download page one and page two of the flyer.

VOICES is adding a special teleconference group next Friday for 9/11 family members feeling emotional distress because of the reopening of the identification and notification process. Judy Stotz, LPC will hold a teleconference group next Friday, January 27 from 10:30 am to 11:30 am to offer support for those who are coping with this emotionally trying process.

The group is open to 9/11 family members only and advance registration is required. Please contact the VOICES office at (203) 966-3911 or toll-free at (866) 505-3911 to sign up.

voices Annual fundraising drive helps us serve you better

Voices of September 11th is in the midst of our annual fundraising drive, and we need your help! Your contribution will be applied to our operating budget for 2006. Nearly 5 years after 9/11, VOICES is an evolving organization. We continue our mission of providing mental health services and special events for all those impacted by 9/11. Our website receives over 3 million hits per year – so we are a clearinghouse of information and resources internationally. In addition, we continue our advocacy work to promote implementation of the 9/11 Commission recommendations to ensure comprehensive strategies for preparedness and response at the federal, state and local levels. Finally, our Building Bridges initiative reaches out internationally to promote understanding, tolerance and acceptance. Click here to read VOICES updated 2006 brochure to learn more about the work we are doing. Click here to donate today. Thank you in advance for your support!

Bureaucracy Hinders 9/11 Commission Recommendations -- An in-depth article investigates why the government's response to 9/11 has fallen well short of the 9/11 Commission's Recommendations for government reform, terrorism prevention and international outreach. (National Journal)

U.S. Raid Killed Qaeda Leaders, Pakistanis Say -- Two senior members of Al Qaeda and the son-in-law of its No. 2 leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, were among those killed in the American airstrikes in remote northeastern Pakistan last week, two Pakistani officials said on Wednesday. (NY Times)

Security Stepped Up After Bin Laden Threat -- Security is being stepped up across the country today after the release of a new audiotape in which Osama bin Laden threatens to attack the U.S. homeland -- though the government is not elevating the national alert level. (ABC News) Also, New York City sees no need to boost security level. (New York Newsday)