Allegheny County Volunteer Firemen's Association convention coming to Oakmont, Verona

Verona and Oakmont residents should not be alarmed when seeing fire trucks from communities miles away motoring through town later this month.

The 108th annual Allegheny County Volunteer Firefighter’s Association convention is set for June 11-18 with activities in both boroughs.

Festivities begin with Night at the Races at the Verona fire station, 465 Parker St.

Doors open on day one at 6:30 p.m. with games at 7. Cost is $20 per person and includes drinks and food.

“I think it will be positive,” Verona’s 2^nd Lt. Kyle Tomnay said about hosting the convention. “I think it’s going to bring a lot of good and a lot of awareness for the community and the fire department. I’ve been around the service my whole life. It’s nice to see some of the traditions keep going.”

Association financial secretary and logistics officer Rick Lewis of West Elizabeth said it is unclear how many departments from across Allegheny County will participate in the convention.

There are about 170 fire departments in Allegheny County, with all but 10 a part of the association, Lewis said.

He cited covid concerns, rising gas prices and potential scheduling conflicts of volunteers working and on vacation as factors for a possible lower turnout than previous conventions.

“Stuff like that may affect it,” Lewis said. “We’ll still have an OK turnout. I think the memorial service will still get a good number of people.”

Battle of the Barrel, a tournament in which teams use hoses to push a barrel on a line to the opposing team’s side of the field, is scheduled for June 13-14 at Riverside Park in Oakmont, across from Oakmont Bakery and Riverview High School.

Games start at 6 p.m. both days. The tournament may be extended to June 15, depending on the number of teams.

“It’s tradition that’s gone on for decades,” Verona Fire Chief Dan Tihey said of the contest. “It gives the firemen some competitiveness. It’s a fun time for them and people in the community just enjoy watching it.”

A memorial service is planned for 7 p.m. June 17 at the Verona station. The association plans to honor 22 firefighters who have died since August.

Two of the names on the list are top association officials.

Sitting president Robert Asson Sr. passed away in October. He spent decades in the fire service, including time as past president of Munhall Volunteer Fire Department No. 5.

Asson was a member of the Western Pennsylvania Fireman’s Association and the Steel Valley Fireman’s Association. The former Whitaker councilman was 71.

Oakmont native and association first vice president Craig Olson took over for Asson. However, he passed away at his home on Jan. 27.

He also served as president of the borough volunteer fire department, where he was a member of 28 years. Olson was 49. The current Allegheny County association president is Carl Lundberg.

The association’s annual meeting and awards ceremony will take place shortly after the memorial service. Its new officers will also be selected.

Festivities conclude with a parade around 5 p.m. June 18. It starts along Pennsylvania Avenue in Oakmont, heads down Allegheny River Boulevard and onto East Railroad Avenue in Verona.

At least 30 departments are expected to be involved in the parade.

Oakmont Fire Chief Joe Flanick said his department volunteered to host the conventionand asked Verona for support.

“It’s a lot of work,” Flanick said. “We wanted to see it try to come back again to the old tradition of what it was. We wanted to keep it going so it wouldn’t die off.

“We have one main thing in common, firefighting. Hopefully, post-pandemic here, all the guys are ready to get out and do these things we used to do again. It helps build camaraderie between guys. We share information and stories.”

Flanick said Oakmont hosted the convention in the 1960s and the 1990s. It was held in Forward Township last year.

No community has been selected yet for next year’s convention.

More information about the event is available online at the Oakmont department’s Facebook page.