With Sympathy

In Memory of

Richard McAllan

It is with tremendous sadness that I pass on this message of the passing of an EMS legend and good friend, Senior Paramedic Richard McAllan (FDNY*EMS ret).

The information conveyed to me was that he had suffered a setback in his recuperation from cardiac surgery several weeks ago, and was readmitted to the hospital near his home, then transferred back to Presbyterian where he died earlier tonight.

No arrangements have been announced.

For those of you who are relatively new paramedics, Rich was a graduate of Jacobi 1, the pilot paramedic program in 1974. Suffice it to say, that if not for the dedication and creativity of that class, the paramedic program would not exist today in NYC. You cannot imagine the obstacles to making this new concept work in the beginning.

I will always address him as Senior Paramedic, though no official designation would ever be admitted by FDNY. He earned his White Patch refresher after refresher for 30 years, wearing it as a sign of pride and accomplishment, until his retirement in 2004. For the majority of his years with New York City EMS and FDNY, he remained the senior paramedic in the title. 

Rich remained a tireless advocate for both quality patient care and for the Paramedics and EMT's working in NYC. His service to Local 2507 included the Board of Trustees and Local 2507 President.

His past activities included several litigations which resulted in system improvements and contract improvements, while others simply kept the EMS administration from having unbridled control over work rules that were mandatory items for negotiation.

While some may not have always agreed with his methods, there is no question about his motives.

Even in retirement, Rich has pursued a number of court cases which the city has managed to stall for years. It would be unfortunate to note that the Guiliani and Bloomberg administrations have stalled this litigation long enough to outlive him.

Richs website remains: www.nycemsauthority.com

 

 

 

 

Here's one of Rich's first groundbreaking EMS exposes in the NY Post.

Sorry about the size of the file. But this was a great one.

 

Alan

 

 

So sorry to hear that. He was certainly one of a kind and his legacy of effecting change for the benefit of his brothers and sisters in Emergency Medicine in NYC will live on.

 

Richie was a good friend during my time with the service. I'll never forget the experience of standing with him in the middle of the closed Brooklyn Bridge during the Liberty Weekend fireworks display, or the years in Maspeth at Telemetry or in the halls listening to him explain his latest filings.

 

As sad as his passing is, I have this little smile on my face because I'm just not sure that where he is now has any clue what they are in for!

 

 

Penina

 

 

 

 

It is very sad to lose such a dedicated person to the job of Paramedic

 

I can fondly remember him answering the phone when i called telemetry when he was up there, always the consummate professional ( unlike it sometimes is presently)

 

He did so much to move Our profession forward and always fought the good fight

 

RIP my friend..

 

Paramedic Gary Smiley

 

 

 

I can't believe Rich is gone.  Sometimes he made me crazy with all his plans to save EMS in NYC, but he REALLY cared.  He did his best to try and make the 'powers that be' understand the damage they were inflicting on our EMS system, either deliberately or by neglect.  I will never forget him and the generation of EMS professionals he represented.  I only hope our younger members can be as dedicated as he was.

 

Marie Diglio, EMTP

 

 

 

 

 

i tried to write a reply about a half dozen times and i still dont know what to say.

 

i had been meaning to call rich for a couple of weeks and always wound up late at night saying "oh crap..it's too late to call, he's probably resting".  i finally made the call and left a message yesterday....so getting the news of his passing af ew hours later was  a reality-laced shock.

 

legend?  legends arent real, and they arent flawed, and theyre just too perfect.  richie was all too real and flawed and imperfect, and that was his value:  he cared way too much about EMS, devoted way too much time to it, would bend the ear of anyone who would listen, and welcomed anyone who cared even a 10th of what he did.....and because he did, we and countless other EMS folks who will go "richie who?" are far better off because, right until the end, he was a "true believer".

 

i try to tell my students that despite the fact that most of them weren't alive when i started in EMS,  i am NOT a dinosaur...at best i'm an early hominid...and that guys like rich (and many of you) made it possible for guys like me to do whatever little i have done for the

system.   they just smile and nod, because they can't comprehend what

EMS was like in the 70's and 80's and what the original medics had to

do.    i suppose it's up to us to keep reminding them, because we DO

have a history and rich was a big part of it.

 

RIP.

 

 

gene iannuzzi

 

 

Mark, and others.

yes very sad to hear of Rich's sickness and now passing.  I was honored to work, behind the scenes, with Rich on a number of political activism projects to help bring about changes from the retired cop gravy train series of disinterested so called ems managers (aka rowan and murray) to the professional ems managers and medical directors who came afterwards.  Rich was passionate about the patients and the providers and was a conscience for those mayors and managers who had other agendas.

I was glad I took the time to travel to the city when Ron Mafai retired and got to see him along with a few other great medics.  Thanks for including me in this e-mail list.

semper fi

 

bob elling

 

 

 

The medic stood and faced God which must always come to pass.

He hoped his uniform was clean, He'd gotten dressed kinda fast.

 

"Step forward now, paramedic. How shall I deal with you? Have you always turned the other cheek? To my church have you always been true?"

 

The medic squared his shoulders and said, "No Lord I guess I ain't cause those of us who wade in blood can't always be a saint.

 

I've had to work most Sundays, and at time my talk was tough. And at times I've been violent, cause the streets were awfull rough.

 

But I never took a penny that was'nt mine to keep...

although I worked alot of overtime, when the bills got too steep.

 

And I never passed a cry for help, though at times I shook with fear.

And sometimes, God forgive me, I wept unmanly tears.

 

I know I don't deserve a place among the people here. They never wanted me around, except to calm their fears.

 

If you have a place for me, Lord, It needn't be so grand.

I never expected or had too much, But if you don't, I understand.

 

There was silence all around the throne, where saints had often trod.

As the medic waited quietly for the judgement of his God.

 

"Step forward now medic, you've borne your burdens well.

Walk peacefully on heavens streets. You've done your time in hell.

 

Medic1259

 

 

 

Mark, Alan & All,

I was shocked and saddened to hear of Richie's passing.  I did not know he had been sick. 

 

I am not surprised to hear of Richie's dedication even after he retired in '04.  It was deeply in his blood.  His righteous desire to improve EMS by correctly making it a "3rd Service", which was {& probably still is} the right thing to do for both the workers and the citizens of our great City, was a true dedication that is to be admired.

 

His Union & legal battles were always based on doing what he believed was good for both the citizens and EMS workers.  He always fought for what he thought was just.  He established, through his legal efforts, some precedent setting gains for EMS workers.   

For those that know me and lived any of the early history of EMS, you know that I also had my arguments and disagreements with Richie.  He was often a thorn in the side.  But usually it was a useful thorn to get me & others to move on certain issues and to correct clear wrongs.

 

His passing makes me, even more so, want to commemorate his contribution by writing a 'History' of those early years.  I hope that my present life enables me to do that.  I think that it is very important for the current EMS workers to learn what those early years were about.  I guess that I think such a 'History' could be a real legacy for Richie.  I would like to think of it as something that all new workers would get during a Union orientation when they get hired.  It could also be used as a handbook for the current members of EMS  to understand what when on before them.

When I am able to do this, I hope I can reach out to many of you.

 

This reminds me when I saw Richie Gutwirth in the hospital the day before he died from Leukemia----that Richie was also dedicated to improving EMS--both for the EMTs & Paramedics as well as the citizens of our City.  They shared an understanding of the need for organized effort to achieve change.  But McAllan also took that many degrees higher and fought on individually to improve EMS----often through the Courts.

 

Having been retired 8 years now, taken advantage of the RN Upgrade program when it was available (I was in the last program before FDNY closed it out--which validates one of Richie's themes about FDNY not being interested in the medical part of EMS)  and having to work to pay the mortgage, put kids through college, etc...  I have been too removed from the world of EMS---unfortunately feeling disconnected.

 

Richie and I are the same age so this upsets me on more than one level.  It makes one consider my own mortality.

 

Mark, 

Just some additions to your listing of his Union positions.  Richie was the first Secretary-Treasurer of Local 2507 holding that position from 1974, when the Local was born--which Richie helped to create, until 1981.  He was also a Delegate to the DC 37 Delegate Assembly for those 6 years.  That is on top of being a Trustee and President later in his career.

Mark, if you hear of any arrangements let me know. 

 

In Solidarity & Sadness,

Mike Stein

 

 

First, I've been asked to convey a message from Rodney Dreifuss, another Jacobi 1 medic and friend of Rich:

 

Hello: As a graduate of NYC*EMS "Jacobi 1," I would like to thank all of you for your kind emails and condolences in memory of Richard McAllan (aka: Mac, the Mouth, Gentlemen, Yogurt, McAllan). The guys from class 1 called Richie either Mac or Mcallan.

 

As I compose myself concerning Mac's death, I am composing some thoughts related to the 1970's when being a Medic in the East Bronx was the most rewarding and fun job a person could have. Yes, We all recognize Mac as the number one EMS crusader who enjoyed the challenge of fighting City Hall on behalf of the street medic/EMT. But, there is another side to Mac...a side that would make you laugh out loud and say to yourself "I can't believe Richie did that!" All of us in Class 1 had some slightly crazy attributes...some (Rodney) more than others and Mac was no exception

 

Dr. Jacobson and I have stayed close over the years and I did call him concerning Mac's death. 

 

Every other year the dinosaurs have a get together at some restaurant near Jacobi. In 2007 Mac presented Shelly and I with certificates, pictures and memorabilia from the 1970's that we will treasure forever. Mac was always the official photographer at these affairs. In 2009 and after a memorial for Mac, I will reminisce about some of the lighter moments in Mac's EMS career that will have those who attend laughing so loud that my dear friend in heaven will be laughing with us. No date has been set yet but they have always been in the summer.

 

Mac, we will miss you but you legacy will never be forgotten. By the way McAllan, what did you with the Jacob log books?

 

Sincerely, Rodney Dreifuss

 

 

 

I was saddened to hear about the passing of Rich.  He was a pioneer in a field that was in it infancy and left an example of what great public service is.  He was unashamed of his aggressive nature as a union representative and many of us are better off as a result of his sacrifices.  The world of EMS will be forever changed as a result of his dedication and commitment to NYC EMS, paramedics and quality health care.  There are a few people who have impacts on your life and Rich was one of them.  Rest in Peace. 

 

Jonathan Best

 

 

Allen

 

What a fitting tribute, Bravo!!!

 

Wonderful words  written about a man who made my career journey and so many others possible

 

Paramedic Gary Smiley

Ed Martinez

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