9/11 HEALTH CASES At a glance

February 8, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

A look at the 30 plaintiffs being considered for the first trials among the thousands who claim work at ground zero made them sick.

JOBS: 12 worked for the New York Police Department, eight for the Fire Department, three for Con Edison, two for the Port Authority police, one for the New York City Transit Authority, one for the Camden County Sheriff’s Department in New Jersey, one for the Cresskill Police Department in New Jersey and two in construction.

TIME AT GROUND ZERO: At least a dozen said they were there on 9/11. Others came later, spending between a day or two to many months at the site.

DEATHS: Firefighter Ray Hauber died of throat cancer in 2007 at age 47. Police Sgt. Michael O’Loughlin died of colon cancer in 2006 at 39. Con Ed worker Darren Mitchell, diagnosed with cancer, died in 2005 at 38.

BREATHING PROBLEMS: A majority complain of having symptoms similar to asthma, with recurrent wheezing, shortness of breath and sinus problems. Most didn’t report starting to feel sick until years after the attacks.

CANCER: Five say they got cancer from World Trade Center dust.

AGES: A majority are middle aged. Nearly half are over 50. Another third are in their 40s.

Source: Associated Press