On November 2, 2001, the FDNY for the very first time issued six posthumous diplomas to graduated probies. Richard Allen, 31, was one. of them Allen came naturally to a job that helped people. He was a Rockaway Beach lifeguard and a New York City public school substitute teacher before being appointed to the FDNY. Actually, he was hoping being a firefighter meant he could also continue to do the other two.
He was helping civilians escape the lobby of Tower One when it collapsed.