July 18 (UPI) -- New York City Fire Department firefighter Richard Driscoll became the 200th member of the department to die of illness related to the Sept. 11, 2011, terrorist attacks, the FDNY said Thursday.
The FDNY announced that Driscoll, a Vietnam War veteran who served in the department for 32 years and took part in the rescue and recovery efforts after the attacks, died Wednesday.
"It is almost incomprehensible that after losing 343 members on September 11, we now have 200 more FDNY members die due to World Trade Center illness," FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said. "These heroes gave their lives bravely fighting to rescue and recover others. We will never forget them."
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio shared photos of Driscoll and Kevin Nolan, another FDNY firefighter who died of similar illness this week, and called for the Senate to approve funding for the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund.
"200 members of the FDNY have now succumbed to WTC-related illness," he wrote. "They didn't hesitate to run into danger. They stayed until the work was done."
Last week, the House voted 402-12 to replenish the fund, securing funding through 2090.
Meanwhile, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., prevented the Senate from voting to approve the bill through unanimous consent and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, also placed a procedural hold on the legislation.
