About 1,300 people have given notice they may sue New York City for a total of $7.18 billion over damages caused by the Sept. 11 World Trade Center attack.

A vast majority of the 1,300 are firefighters who say the city did not provide them with adequate respiratory protection from the contaminants at the World Trade Center site. There have been extensive complaints of a similar nature, as recovery workers, police officers and firefighters have expressed fear that serious ailments will result. Asbestos, benzene, PCBs and other contaminants have been detected in the Ground Zero ruins.

Not every one of the 1,300 will actually sue; others will seek money from the federal victims compensation fund. The notices merely preserve the right to sue in the future.

People are getting sick, some fear serious ailments as a result stemming from the conditions of Ground Zero. But should these people receive money from the federal government? Should these people, who are doing their jobs, be able to sue a city?

As tragic as it sounds, things happen. The World Trade Center attacks caused a lot of damage to a lot of people, firefighters included. But these firefighters risk injury every day they wake up for the job.

One firefighter, Palmer Doyle, filed notice of a $10 million suit, claiming he worked two 12-hour days without a respirator. If Doyle had worked two 12-hour days without a respirator at a fire that didn’t just happen to be the most tragic event of our time, would he be filing a $10 million suit? Probably not.

The consequences of Sept. 11 go far beyond Manhattan. Not everyone can be compensated for the tragedy. New York limousine drivers are asking for federal money. Businesses and property owners in the city are doing the same.

And the federal government is already shelling out billions upon billions of dollars to compensate Sept. 11 victims and their families.

How many tragic deaths occur in our nation every day?

And how many families receive federal money to aid in the recovery?

Tragedy is tragedy.

The death of a little-known murder victim in downtown New York City is just as tragic as the death of a victim who was in the second tower and didn’t make it out alive. And to argue otherwise is irresponsible and wrong.

The date – Sept. 11, our day of infamy – should not play a part in how the government gives money to victims.

Citizens of New York City should not take advantage of a seemingly endless pot of federal relief money.

As hard as it is to say, firefighters, police officers and recovery workers should not sue the city when they know the potential dangers that can result from helping in a dangerous situation. They went to help, and the city did what it could to provide them with enough safety precautions at that confusing and difficult time.

editorialboard: Andrea Hauser, Tim Paluch, Michelle Kann, Charlie Weaver