Outrage at FDNY hero split

Separate wall for 9/11 cancer vics s

The FDNY will not change a controversial practice that has some firefighters fuming — honoring those who die of 9/11-related illness on a different memorial wall than those killed while on duty.

The FDNY has two separate walls in the lobby of its Brooklyn headquarters: One prominent display honors members who died “in the line of duty,” including those who perished on 9/11.

A separate wall near the security desk names the Bravest who have succumbed to cancer and other illnesses linked to the toxic Ground Zero pit where rescuers toiled.

Some firefighters are angered because the NYPD, in contrast, adds the names of officers who die of 9/11linked disease to its Wall of Honor along with all cops killed in the line of duty.

But Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro issued a message to members last week saying he sees no reason to change course.

“I respectfully disagree with those who may believe that our members are treated differently than ‘all the other first responders,’ ” he wrote.

The FDNY does not consider firefighters who succumb to 9/11-related cancers or other ailments “line of duty deaths.”

Instead, their deaths are labeled “administrative” line of duty.

To many firefighters sick- ened after serving at Ground Zero, “it’s insult-ting,” said John Feal, an ad-dvocate for 9/11 first re-esponders

“Last I checked, thesese firefighters were heroes,”s,” he said. “We want to get thisis changed.”

The 9/11 attacks killed 34343 FDNY firefighters.

Last September, thehe FDNY added 17 names to a list of Bravest who haveve died of 9/11-related illness,s, bringing the total to 127.

But the total number of all 9/11 responders, includingng firefighters, who have beenen diagnosed with WTClinked cancers now exceeds 5,100, records show.

Late firefighter John MacNamara, who logged 500 hours searching for victims at Ground Zero and died of advanced colon can-ncer in 2009 at age 41, left aa wife and then 2-year-oldld son, Jack.

His widow, Jennifer Siegelel MacNamara, who started a foundation in his honor, hasas mixed feelings.

“John died in the line of duty, and we all know that,”t,” she told The Post. “Wherere his name appears on a me-emorial is not the most important thing.”

In his message, Nigro also said the department willill not issue a special citywidede “5-5-5-5 radio notification”n” to honor a member whoho dies of World Trade Center sickness.

“We have reserved that profound signal for announcing ‘traditional’ line of duty deaths,” he said.