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The K9 Task Force was started as a basic search, rescue and recovery team. We answered numerous calls daily to assist local Police, Fire and other Emergency Services. The K9 Task Force has assisted with several well known disasters and crime scenes such as the World Trade Center, Shuttle Columbia and New Orleans and the Mississippi Coast after Hurricane Katrina.

Savannah, Georgia - Members of the Southside Fire Department found themselves trying to save one of their own when one lieutenant radioed in she had just be shot and needed help.

It happened at her home on Lester Avenue in Savannah around 10:30 p.m. Thursday night.

Southside Fire Assistant Chief Hugh Futrell explains, "we got a call over one of our radios, help I've been shot. We recognized the voice; it was our Lieutenant Pam Jackson."

Lieutenant Pam Jackson is a veteran firefighter and EMT. Futrell says "She's one of our gems."

At first, Mike Greene thought it might just be a bad allergy.

But when his sense of smell didn't come back for months, the paramedic suspected it was caused by polluted air he'd breathed at the most harrowing job site of his career: the wreckage of the World Trade Center.

The report includes information on the Registry's key activities and accomplishments for 2009, as well as details on recent findings about the health consequences of 9/11. It also includes resource information for those affected by the disaster.

President Obama’s proposed budget   for fiscal year 2011 includes $150 million “to provide screening and treatment for first response emergency services personnel, residents, students, and others related to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.”

This is a $79 million increase from last year’s budget for 9/11 health care. It came shortly after Katherine Sebelius, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, informed the New York congressional delegation  that the Obama Administration did not support the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act because it requires mandatory annual spending on federal 9/11 health programs.

“We’re heartened that the Obama Administration reportedly plans to more than double the commitment to the vital programs that serve responders and community members facing the health impacts of September 11,” Mayor Bloomberg said. “The terrorist attacks were attacks on the entire country, and there is still an urgent need for a long-term federal commitment to address their health impacts. An increase in appropriations – even one as significant as this – is not the same as long-term federal legislation. But it surely signals the Administration’s commitment to address this issue in a long-term, meaningful manner.”

Congress must still pass the Administration’s proposed budget. In the meantime, members of the New York congressional delegation have requested a meeting with the President as New York City continues its efforts in support of the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. The legislation is awaiting action in the House Energy and Commerce Committee, pending the outcome of health care reform. The Senate version has been referred to committee.

Original Story: NYC.gov

Service dogs can help vets deal with many types of injuries, even mental health issues. CNN's Barbara Starr reports.

Original Story: BBC News

A US judge says a proposed $657M deal for people who worked at New York's Ground Zero following the 9/11 terror attacks is too small.

Some 10,000 rescue workers and police officers are suing New York City, saying they suffered health problems working in the dust and debris.

Federal Judge Alvin Hellerstein said that he did not think the agreement represented a sufficient sum of money.

He said further negotiations were needed for a fair deal.

Original Story: CNN

New York (CNN) -- Exposure to debris at Ground Zero may be linked to heart problems in police officers, according to a new study announced Saturday.

The study revealed that police officers who worked at the World Trade Center site in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terror attacks had unusually high occurrences of abnormal left and right ventricular functioning, leading doctors to consider the role Ground Zero played in their diminished heart function.

Original Story: CNN

New York (CNN) -- The WTC Captive Insurance Co. announced settlements Thursday with more than 10,000 plaintiffs who claimed sickness or injuries after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The settlements could total up to $657 million.

WTC Captive was created with a $1 billion FEMA grant and provides insurance coverage to the City of New York and its debris-removal contractors. In the aftermath of attacks of September 11, 2001, New York was unable to get adequate amounts of liability insurance for the rescue, recovery and debris-removal work done at the World Trade Center site.

Nearly 10 years after the 9/11 attacks, residents and workers exposed to dust and fumes at the World Trade Center site appear prone to persistent, sometimes severe headaches, new research suggests.

"The finding is preliminary," stressed study author Dr. Sara C. Crystal, an instructor in neurology at the New York University School of Medicine in New York City. "We definitely want to study this more. But it's important that we identify this as a problem so we can further explore and help guide treatment."