TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Local Hospital Checks Up On Sept. 11 Responders

News Channel 8 photo by MICHAEL EGGER

Ivan Castrillo gets a checkup from Toni Belisle as part of a study on Sept. 11 responders.

ADVERTISEMENT

By KATHY STEELE

ksteele@tampatrib.com

Published: March 11, 2009

TAMPA - Like every first responder on Sept. 11, 2001, Ivan Castrillo breathed in the toxic air - a brew of jet fuel, asbestos, lead and concrete dust concocted by the collapse of the twin towers in Manhattan.

For six months afterward he stood guard during rescue and recovery efforts as trucks and heavy equipment rumbled past and ash and dust swirled around him.

It was a gray blizzard. "I went home on a daily basis covered in soot," said Castrillo, then a 16-year veteran of the New York Police Department. "My wife couldn't believe the smells I was bringing home."

The shortness of breath, acid reflux and chest pain came later, after Castrillo, 44, retired from the department and moved with his wife, Evelyn, to Town 'N Country in northwest Hillsborough County.

Two months ago, health professionals put his 9/11 history together with his symptoms. He is registered with a database of first responders being compiled by Logistics Health Inc., which manages the World Trade Center National Responder Health Program.

The federally-funded program monitors and treats 9/11 responders who live outside the New York City and New Jersey metropolitan area.

Estimates indicate about 1,000 responders live in the Tampa Bay area. Overall, almost 91,500 people, including firefighters, police officers, medical professionals and volunteers, were part of the rescue, recovery and cleanup.

Many have reported respiratory and lung problems as well as post-traumatic stress disorder.

On Monday, Castrillo was seen for the first time by Toni Belisle, clinic medical director for Occupational Health Service at University Community Hospital-Carrollwood. The hospital also has clinics in Pasco and Pinellas counties.

Soon the hospital will forward reports from Castrillo's medical tests to Logistics Health, which then will refer him for federally paid medical treatment.

"We feel a little bit more calm about it," Castrillo said. "Now I know somebody is going to do something about it."

Castrillo is the fourth responder patient seen by University Community since February.

"It's a wonderful opportunity," Belisle said. "It's been a slow trickle in. Even if we can get a small percent of everyone out there, it's helpful. They can get some questions answered and relieve some anxiety."

For the past two years, Castrillo has had a string of emergency room visits for chest pains and difficulty breathing.

He gave up his lawn service business. He tried part-time work as a truck driver, but after an hour he would be in agony from the waist up.

"I know I want to work. That's the toughest part," Castrillo said. "I don't want to sit back and feel sorry for myself."

No one had an explanation. A doctor did treat him for anxiety, Castrillo said, a diagnosis based on 20 years as a police officer and "the experience I went through on 9/11."

He arrived at ground zero about 11 a.m. that Tuesday, just after the World Trade Center towers had fallen.

It was so smoky no one could see more than a few feet. It was fairly quiet. People seemed dazed. There was much confusion.

"Very surreal; it felt like you were in a bad disaster movie," Castrillo said.

He rode in a van with other officers, looking for people who needed help.

For the first three weeks, responders wore paper masks.

He and other responders didn't think about a future of poor health.

"We were thinking we had a job at hand, and we had to do it effectively," Castrillo said.

For information or to register as a responder, call Logistics Health at 1-877-498-2911.

Reporter Kathy Steele can be reached at (813) 259-7652.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT