NEW YORK (PIX11) — There is a team of dozens of New York City workers on a mission to ensure survivors of 9/11 and those impacted by the aftermath are tracked and given access to resources to stay healthy.

Their headquarters is in Long Island City. The team tracks the short and long-term health effects of Sept. 11th on 71,000 survivors who enrolled in the registry. 

Mark Farfel is the director of the World Trade Center Health Registry. He oversees 24 doctors, social workers, Research scientists, and public health workers tracking and connecting people exposed on 9/11.

Farfel said his team is on the phone daily, making critical connections to 71,000 people. They include rescue recovery workers and those who lived, worked or went to school in Lower Manhattan on Sept. 11.

From helping people complete applications to the World Trade Center program to analyzing trends in illnesses, every bit of information is used to improve the healthcare for these heroes. 

Many people they track and support are in New York and across the country, in 15 countries worldwide. It’s one of the largest and longest-running registries globally. Its focus is monitoring and analyzing 9/11-related physical health conditions such as asthma and other respiratory illnesses, cancer, and mental health conditions such as PTSD and depression. Also, their mission is to find new emerging conditions related to 9/11. 

It’s deeply personal work for Talytha Utley. Utley was on her way to work in Lower Manhattan on 9/11. Utley said it’s an honor every day to help bring resources to those still dealing with the consequences of what happened that day. The Registry plans to continue its work for years to come.