Am I a Survivor or a Responder?



The World Trade Center Health Program serves both survivors and responders/volunteers, but through separate programs. Though they offer similar resources, it is important to apply to the correct program.

The World Trade Center Health Program serves both survivors and responders/volunteers, but through separate programs. Though they offer similar resources, it is important to apply to the correct program.

For the purposes of the World Trade Center Health Program, a “survivor” is defined as:

  • A person who was present in the New York City disaster area in the dust or dust cloud on September 11, 2001

  • A person who worked, lived, or attended school, child care, or adult day care in the New York City disaster area for at least 4 days during the 4-month period beginning September 11, 2001, and ending on Jan. 10, 2002, or at least 30 days during the 11 months beginning September 11, 2001 and ending on July 31, 2002;

  • Any person who worked as a cleanup worker or performed maintenance work in the New York City disaster area during the 4 months starting September 11, 2001, and ending on Jan. 10, 2002;

  • A person who was eligible to receive a grant from the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation Residential Grant Program, who had a lease for a residence or bought a residence in the New York City disaster area, and who lived in that residence during the period beginning on September 11, 2001, and ending on May 31, 2003;

  • A person whose place of employment at any time during the period beginning on September 11, 2001, and ending on May 31, 2003, was in the New York City disaster area; and was eligible to receive a grant from the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation WTC Small Firms Attraction and Retention Act program or other government incentive program designed to revitalize the lower Manhattan economy after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

  • (A map of the “New York City disaster area” is available here: http://www.cdc.gov/wtc/define.html)

9/11 Health Services available to members of the Survivor Community:

Survivors in the New York City area: World Trade Center Health Program

Survivors outside of New York City: World Trade Center Health Program Nationwide Provider Network  

Documentation Needed: Survivor applicants to the WTC Health program will need to prove they were in the affected area during the specified time in order to qualify. For those who were students in lower Manhattan in 2001/2002, acceptable forms of proof include: -school transcripts -school identification cards (if they are dated and cover the period between 9/11/01 and 7/31/02) -diplomas -class schedule cards from the 2001/2002 fall or spring semesters Further information for residents and other survivors who were not students at the time of the attacks is available here. Please contact with any questions about documentation at info@stuyhealth.org.  

For the purposes of the program, a “responder” is defined as:

  • An individual, including current and former Federal employees, who worked or volunteered onsite in rescue, recovery, demolition, debris cleanup or related support services in lower Manhattan (south of Canal St), the Staten Island Landfill, or the barge loading piers;

  • A member of the Police Department of New York City (active or retired) or a member of the Port Authority Police of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (active or retired) who participated onsite in rescue, recovery, debris cleanup, or related services in lower Manhattan (south of Canal St), including Ground Zero, the Staten Island Landfill, or the barge loading piers;

  • An employee of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of New York City involved in the examination and handling of human remains from the World Trade Center attacks, or other morgue worker who performed similar post-September 11 functions for such Office staff;

  • A worker in the Port Authority Trans-Hudson Corporation Tunnel;

  • A vehicle-maintenance worker who was exposed to debris from the former World Trade Center while retrieving, driving, cleaning, repairing, and maintaining vehicles contaminated by airborne toxins from the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

  • Any Fire department employees (both fire and emergency personnel, active or retired), Police department employees (active or retired), Recovery or cleanup workers and contractors,and Volunteers (including Red Cross)who took part in the rescue, recovery, demolition, debris cleanup, or other related services after the terrorist-related air crashes on September 11, 2001, at the Pentagon in Arlington VA, or the passenger-jet crash site in Shanksville, PA.

Click here to find out how to access Responder Resources.