As the Trump administration continues its mass firings to shrink the size of the federal workforce in an effort to cut the federal budget.

The World Trade Center is the latest health program on the chopping block.

According to advocates, the Trump administration has cut staff and accepted buyouts and resulting in a 20% reduction in staff at the World Trade Center Health program that provides medical care to more than 130,009 11 responders and survivors who are battling nine over 11 related illnesses, according to Rutgers.

No staff have been cut from their World Trade Center health program in Piscataway, and they confirm that care for patients continues.

But New Jersey resident Anthony Gardner, whose brother Harvey was killed during the attacks on 911, lost his job on Saturday.

Since his brother's death, Anthony made it his mission to be an advocate and continue to keep his memory alive.

Gardner was a public affairs specialist with the WTC in New York, and Anthony joins me now to discuss more.

Anthony, thanks for joining me, and I appreciate the opportunity.

Anthony, how long have you been working at the program?

So I worked as the only public affairs specialist at the World Trade Center Health program for the last three years.

Until this past Saturday.

When and how were you notified that your job was being terminated?

And what did the termination letter or email exactly say?

Sure.

So I received a mail notification to my work inbox on Saturday, and it was basically a form termination letter that, as I understand it, many people, across the federal workforce, this letter basically cited work performance issues and not meeting the standards of the position as the reason for the termination, is completely inaccurate.

And, you know, for for myself and the other, program, coworkers, you know, we have performance reviews that say other work.

The program is the only program that provides the the health care and the medical monitoring, nine, 11 responders and survivor.

So there's a there's a different sort of, knowledge base that's needed for, for that.

Well, let's let's stick on that for a second.

Let's talk about how many other employees were fired.

And can you share, you know, with viewers what types of positions and roles did they have?

Absolutely.

So, there were 16 in this, first wave of of firings and, it got across the entire program.

So we had a couple of our, nursing professionals from our medical benefits team who lost their positions.

We had an enrollment specialist.

So, you know, we have 130,000 members in the program across the country that we serve.

And we thousands of members that are getting enrolled here.

And a very small team to do that work.

So how many people, Anthony, rely on this program?

So we have 130,000 nine survivors in our program that live all across the country, and they receive care through for their 911 related conditions through the program.

And in that there is, you know, the program was established by Congress.

And so we have certain congressional mandates.

So it's it's not only about providing ongoing care and treatment to nine, 11 responders, but we also have a research agenda where we need to advance the scientific knowledge of connections between nine over 11 exposure and conditions.

That helps, adding new positions so that, 911 responders who are suffering can or so you know, we it's it's beyond the medical care and treatment.

It's also advancing the scientific knowledge so that we could better treat 911 survivors.

And the other piece is the outreach that we do every day to raise awareness among responders and survivors.

Anthony, you've called this a matter of life and death for many survivors, with the loss of you and the others.

What will be the impact?

The impact, I think will be felt in certainly in the weeks and months ahead.

And here's an example.

But let's remember, that's being seen at the clinic and they're diagnosed with stage three cancer.

And that clinic then submits, a certification request to the program for review.

You know, we have less staff now to review those certifications.

And until those certifications are reviewed and approved, that treatment for that condition cannot be begin.

So that's when we talk about how the work that we do for our members is really a lifeline.

And, you know, timing is everything in in in health care, right.

In terms of diagnosis of new conditions, treatment for the and so we are really urging, Secretary Kennedy to meet with program leadership, our elected officials from both sides of the aisle who have raised these concerns to make sure that, these cuts are reversed and that the program is spared from further cuts that would be detrimental to our our members across the country.

Well, it seems that there's a lot of stake out here.

We wish you well.

Anthony, thank you for joining me.

Thank you for having me.