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Public
Employee Press Richard
McAllan, 58, fought for EMS workers and patients
Richard McAllan, a former president of Uniformed EMTs
and Paramedics Local 2507, died March 26 at New York-Presbyterian Hospital in
Manhattan. A dedicated and passionate activist on behalf of EMS workers and patients,
he was 58.
McAllan began his career with the Emergency Medical Service
in 1973 and graduated from the citys first Paramedic class in 1974. Within
a year co-workers elected him the locals first secretary-treasurer; he served
as local president from 1987 to 1990.
I respected and admired him,
said Local 2507 President Pat Bahnken. Richard McAllan was a strong defender
of the rights of working men and women who never backed away from a fight and
never compromised on his principles.
McAllan had a flair for the
sensational, and convinced the media to expose the bad working conditions and
broken-down vehicles that threatened New Yorkers lives by causing slow ambulance
response times.
McAllan forced the city to continue using civil service
exams for Emergency Medical Technician and Paramedic jobs, constantly battled
to increase EMS funding and fought politicians attempts to contract out
ambulance services to private companies.
He was a fearless, tireless
advocate for EMS, said Tom Eppinger, president of Uniformed EMS Officers
Local 3621. McAllan was known for filing lawsuits against every mayor from Ed
Koch to Michael Bloomberg.
Recently he was actively supporting the fight
of 135 Stella Doro workers who have been on strike since August 2008.
Richard
McAllan grew up near Asbury Park, New Jersey, and lived in the Marble Hill section
of Manhattan. Two brothers, Skitch and Bob, and his mother, Grace, survive him.
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