.After many years of good work and steady employment, Rocky Flats will be no more. It is not closing without warning, but there has been a few who didn't believe it till there building was tore down. As a wild life refuge, all that will be left, will be stories, good and bad. For some there will fond memory's of brotherhood and comradery, 4/10s to 7/12s. A few of the brothers and sisters will take their security clearance's and move on to other defense facilities.
Then there is the other side that is not so memorable. We have lost a few members to job related illness and those that have, and will suffer with job related illness's. For many years, and before my time in the trade, it has been a good source of employment and a financial boost to the Denver area. With mixed emotions we say good by to the facility.
The Department of Labor on Tuesday, February 19, 2008 released new rules on how former Rocky Flats workers can qualify for "special aid" status.
A person must prove he or she was exposed to a "significant" level of neutron radiation to get on the "fast track" for money and medical help.
So far the existing program has awarded $1 billion to sick nuclear workers or their survivor's since it's creation in 2000.
If records are missing or faulty, a person can petition for "special exposure cohort" status, enabling them to be eligible for "streamlined aid".
This group was defined as those who were employed between 1952 through 1966 and were, or should have been monitored for neutron radiation exposure.
To date 159 Rocky Flats workers have been awarded special status.
To read the new rules on how Rocky Flats workers can qualify for special aid status- Go to RockyMountainNews.com and click on the "New Rules on Flats Aid" article/story on the webpage and "click" on the link.
FROM ARTICLE IN ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS 4/17/08:
WEB SITE ASSISTS SICK NUCLEAR WEAPONS WORKERS IN FINDING DOCTORS TO TREAT THEM.
THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN APPROVED FOR MEDICAL BENIFITS THROUGH THE ENERGY EMPLOYEES OCCUPATIONAL ILLNESS AND COMPENSATION PROGRAM CAN GO TO THE INTERNET SITE:
