I am speaking as Mr. Copp's personal physician. I have treated him for injuries sustained while attempting to resue survivors at the WTC site. I testified before the Victim's Comnpensation Fund hearings for Mr. Copp. I am very familiar with this man's life.

The entry you are about to read includes multiple errors and a severe bias based on inaccurate reporting (and a clear attempt at character assassination) by several media outlets including NBC News and The Albuquerque Journal. Legal proceedings regarding these inaccuracies--and their consequences for Mr. Copp--are currently underway. This article should be removed and corrected before publishing. Anyone who bother to look beneath these cruel attempts to undermine his work will see that Mr. Copp is personally responsible for saving hundreds of lives. How many of us can say that? Perhaps a clearer, more balanced view of this man's contributions will emerge once the current legal disputes are settled.-- Timothy J. Smith, M.D.

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Doug Copp is a Canadian, who claims, somewhat controversially, that he located 40 bodies beneath the rubble of the World Trade Center after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Additionally, he claimed to be the first to search collapsed subway tunnels in the area. During the initial media blitz, and subsequent heavy coverage of the rescue efforts, Copp was singularly praised by U.S. Representative Tom Udall. (Udall has since retracted his praise and is encouraging the investigation into Doug Copp.) Copp is a vocal critic of several disaster preparedness and response organizations within the United States. It is reported that Copp has made outlandish claims about his credentials and resume.

After receiving nearly $650,000 USD from the September 11th Victims Compensation Fund due to his rescue efforts, he has since requested an additional 1 million dollars, presumably in order to pay for treatment of a total of 41 medical conditions developed by wading through what he terms "toxic soup" beneath the rubble, including lipo-suction.

The New York Times and Albuquerque Journal have both stated that Copp's alleged rescue achievements can not be entirely verified, and NYPD rescue chief John Norman has denied several aspects of Copp's claims. Udall is publicly seeking a federal investigation into what he now believes is a fraudulent claim.

Triangle of life

Doug Copp has espoused what he calls the "Triangle of Life" earthquake safety method. He recommends that individuals in an earthquake should seek to curl up beside a large object, which Copp claims will presumably protect them from a falling roof. This claim has been spread rapidly though the internet, via an email where Doug Copp introduces himself as one of the foremost experts in disaster search and rescue. This concept has been called into question by agencies such as the American Red Cross, at least as a method of earthquake safety in the United States of America. The following link to Snopes.com documents an email sent out praising this method and attacking the traditional "Drop, Cover, and Hold On" method. Many organizations based in the United States, including the American Red Cross, United States Geological Survey and local Community Emergency Response Teams, have attempted to correct Copp's claims, but Copp consisently (and quite vocally) maintains that his Triangle of Life concept is the most appropriate procedure to utilize no matter which part of the world an earthquake strikes. Many experts agree that many of Copp's claims lack firm science and may even be dangerous.

On his website, Doug Copp attacks numerous organizations and persons who he believes is attempting to censor his ideas and concepts. The list of organizations include NBC's Dateline, the American Red Cross, the publisher Tom Lang and non-specific government agencies within the United States. Although his claims are bold, they are somewhat suspect. His attack on the American Red Cross appears to have started shortly after the organization posted a memo warning of the potential dangers Copp's Triangle of Life technique may present. Copp's vocal attacks on Lang occurred shortly after the Albuquerque Journal did an expose on his inefficency during 9/11 and fraud investigation. Letters posted on Copp's website to defend him are usually poorly written and lack any sort of independent verification of their authenticity.

Copp claims he has been at hundreds of rescue situations, saving countless lives and recovering bodies. The most recent disaster that Copp claims his organization has responded to is the 2004 South Asia Tsunami, although there is no convincing evidence that he or any of his team has been there. It is also unclear who Copp's team members are, as photo documentation of Copp and his exploits, as posted on his website, usually only have him in the picture. Team member credentials are also difficult to independently verify.

Doug Copp is currently under investigation by the United States Justice Department.

External links

Article about Copp's earthquake safety advice (from Snopes.com)

American Team Rescue International, Copp's official page.

Rescue or Rip-off and Copp: I never did anything wrong," both from an MSNBC Dateline investigation.

Knucklehead or Hero? ABQjournal