JERSEY CITY, N.J. (PIX11) -- To this day, Jersey City Fire Chief Jack Johnson deals with health effects from his service at ground zero. Almost 24 years later, he's thankful to still be here.

He's also thankful for a new law signed to protect his 9/11 brothers and sisters who are still here.

"It took a few years to get this done, but what it meant to me personally is- it's a big relief," said Johnson. "For me, it's personal because I have a lot of friends that passed away."

Under a bill signed in 2019, eligible New Jersey 9/11 responders had a two-year window to apply for accidental disability retirement allowance for a permanent disability relating to service at ground zero.

The window to file closed in 2021. Under a new law just signed by the Governor, that filing deadline has been r

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