The number of first responders who died from illnesses stemming from the 9/11 terrorist attacks is nearly the number of public servants who died on Sept. 11, 2001.

A total of 341 New York City first responders — including firefighters, paramedics, and civilian support staff — have died due to long-term health complications from the toxic chemicals at ground zero.

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On 9/11, 343 firefighters and paramedics, along with 23 New York City Police Department law enforcement officers, died.

"The collapse of the Twin Towers created massive dust clouds that filled the air and left hundreds of highly populated city blocks covered with ash, debris, and harmful particles," the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says on its homepage for the 9/11 World Trade Center Health Program.

Researchers have identified over 350 distinct health hazards from the incident — such as smoke, jet fuel, and hot spots from fires — in the 1.5-mile radius surrounding the site of the World Trade Center.

An estimated 400,000 people in New York City; Arlington, Virginia; and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, were exposed to toxic chemicals and risks of physical injury, along with the emotional and psychological trauma of the event.

"In the early anniversaries that immediately followed 9/11, our primary focus was on the people we had lost because that was our greatest concern,” James Brosi, president of the FDNY Uniformed Fire Officers Association, told the New York Post.

Brosi said he is now concerned that more attention and resources need to be given to those with chronic illnesses, including cancer, as a result of the attacks.

“We are never going to be able to undo this exposure,” Brosi said.

Michael Crane, director of the World Trade Center Health Program at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, noted in 2018 that the rate of certain cancers among 9/11 first responders was 30% higher than the general population.

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In addition to these increased incidences of cancer, the CDC identifies a variety of long-term conditions due to aftereffects of the attacks: aerodigestive disorders, such as asthma and sleep apnea; musculoskeletal disorders, such as carpal tunnel syndrome; and mental health or behavioral conditions, such as PTSD or substance misuse and abuse.

Over 71,000 people are currently enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Registry, a research study conducted by the New York City Health Department's Division of Epidemiology that seeks to understand the long-term effects of the terror attacks.