PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Kevin Scullen, 9/11 Survivor
2:05:51
ยท
136 sec
Kevin Scullen, a 9/11 survivor, provides personal testimony about his experiences on September 11, 2001, and the long-term health impacts he has suffered as a result. He describes witnessing the attacks, fleeing from the dust cloud, and enduring weeks of poor air quality in the aftermath.
- Scullen details the acrid air quality on 9/11 and in the weeks following, describing it as "gag inducing" and similar to burning brakes
- He has been diagnosed with respiratory problems, prostate cancer, and is undergoing hip replacements, which he attributes to 9/11 exposure
- Scullen expresses support for the legislation being discussed, likely referring to Resolution 560 regarding investigation into what past mayors knew about 9/11 environmental hazards
Kevin Scullen
2:05:51
Can you hear me okay?
2:05:53
Yes.
2:05:53
My name is Kevin Scullen.
2:05:55
I live, on West 8th Street.
2:05:57
And, on the morning of 9:11, I was working 2 blocks away from here.
2:06:03
I ended up witnessing the first plane, flying into the, North Tower, and then I saw the explosion from the, the second plane.
2:06:15
I eventually, with 1,000 of others, ran started running, up north here to outrun the, the dust that was that was coming from the collapse of the south tower.
2:06:32
I managed to get up to the, to Greenwich Village, where I live, when the north tower had collapsed.
2:06:40
The, I wanted to speak to the to the air quality, of that day that the the air was so acrid and so profoundly bad.
2:06:52
It was the closest I can describe to it would be the smell of burning brakes.
2:06:57
It was it was gag inducing.
2:07:00
It that that you couldn't go for a very long period of time without gagging or retching into a, a handkerchief.
2:07:10
And this went on for weeks.
2:07:12
And when the pile were still burning, the wind would turn and sometimes, push that air back up into the village and that and you would just start gagging all over again.
2:07:27
At this point now, I have had, I have been diagnosed with respiratory problems.
2:07:33
I had, a year ago February, I was, I had a prostatectomy to remove the prostate cancer that I that, I developed.
2:07:42
And, I'm this year, I'm having 2 hips replaced.
2:07:47
I was 41 years old when those those towers came down.
2:07:50
I was very physically active and, and very, very busy person.
2:07:57
And, over the last 24 years, it has it has altered.
2:08:01
I just wanna thank you so much for this, and I wanna speak in favor of your, of this.
2:08:07
Thank you.
Gale A. Brewer
2:08:07
Thank you very much.