Police officers, firefighters and other first responders are wearing pink mourning bands with a blue or red thin stripe in support of a legislation extending the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. The act provides health monitoring for people who worked at Ground Zero, or lived nearby, and health coverage and compensation for the thousands with illnesses ranging from cancer to asthma tied to toxic air. It is set to expire, in phases, if Congress does not extend it. Congress must pass an extension by December 11th.
Mourning bands are worn as a badge cover upon the death of a member of badge wearing public safety professions. American Police Veterans began offering pink ½ inch bands in support of a call for law enforcement officers to wear pink during October in support of community awareness of breast cancer. The new bands address the broader need to fight the high risk exposure, disease and death among firefighters and police officers.
While the call for police to arrest breast cancer and for firefighters to fire breast cancer are important, American Police Veterans founder, George Brown, quickly realized that cancer is not one dimensional. The Zadroga Act demonstrates that cancer is an occupational illness affecting first responders, their families and communities. To meet the needs of community awareness and mourning the handmade bands are pink with either red or blue line for mourning.
Individual bands are available from American Police Veterans, P.O. Box 2623, Attleborough Falls, MA 02763. American Police Veterans also builds custom badges in pink finish for officers and agencies.
For additional information or to order bands visit: http://www.mourningbands.org
American Police Veterans / Badgeart is a disabled police officer owned and operated business selling custom badges, awards and recognition services. Sales fund outreach to and advocacy for disabled and retired law enforcement officers.