IFD mourns loss of 9/11 first responder
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indianapolis Fire Department is mourning the loss of one of its own.
Barry Green spent decades with IFD but he didn’t just serve the circle city. Green served on Indiana Task Force 1. He helped with the search and rescue effort at ground zero in New York after the September 11 terror attacks.
Green died last week from liver cancer at the age of 64. His visitation was held Tuesday. Friends and family said it’s possible the toxic conditions at ground zero could have caused his liver cancer.
The CDC has reported thousands of first responders have cancer because of the fumes from the September 11 terror attacks.
Indiana Task Force 1 is a highly trained group of firefighters around the state who handle the worst of crisis.
62 members from the team, including Green, spent more than a month looking for survivors and putting out fires at ground zero.
Tom Neal also serves on the task force and said he believes half of them have become sick already because of the toxic conditions in New York at the time.
Green and two others have died from cancer. Green’s sons said they can’t be sure 9/11 caused his liver cancer, but Neal said he believes ground zero impacted nearly everyone.
“Those people who live in south Manhattan or those doing search in rescue or those who were trapped in the building are dealing with their own tragedies on a daily basis,” he said. “Many of those responders are fighting disease that they can contribute back to their exposures at ground zero.”
A federal law allows these first responders with potential 9/11-related health issues to get annual physicals.
Green’s sons are focused on the man they always looked up to, whether he was serving Indianapolis or around the country.
“He was dedicated to service. The most important thing for us to remember is that dad was there for everyone else,” said Sean Green, one of his sons. “We’re very proud of him for what he did.”
He said there’s no plan right now to have anything at the 9/11 memorial in downtown Indianapolis but Green will be getting honored out in New York this year at the 9/11 Responders Remembered Park.
Located in Long Island, New York, the park is dedicated to first responders who died during 9/11 and afterwards.
Founded by 9/11 responder John Feal and the FealGood Foundation, there are more than 800 names on a wall in the park.
A representative from that foundation said Barry Green’s name will be added this upcoming year.
For more information on the FeelGood Foundation, click here.