Allegheny Valley residents take advantage of chance to get firearm carry permits closer to home

Lee Anne Pennington had a license to carry a firearm when she lived in Butler County, but let it expire.

It’s been about four years since she moved to Springdale, but it wasn’t until Saturday that Pennington got a new permit. She took advantage of the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office offering new licenses and license renewals at the Allegheny Valley Volunteer Fire Co. in Springdale Township, saving her from traveling the Route 28 “nightmare” to Pittsburgh.

”I’ve been waiting months for it to be here,” she said while waiting for her permit card to be printed. “It was convenient to come here.”

Pennington said she owns a handgun and is trained, but has never carried it.

“It’s something I wanted to have in case I wanted to carry,” she said. “I don’t plan on it, but you never know.”

Saving people from the time and hassle of going to the sheriff’s office downtown is the purpose of the license to carry a firearm satellite events, Sgt. Ryan Foster said.

Sheriff Bill Mullen started them about 10 years ago and current Sheriff Kevin Kraus has continued them on a monthly basis around the county.

“Kraus does more of these events,” Foster said. “He really took it and ran with it.”

A firearm carry license costs $20 and is good for five years.

It allows a person to carry a loaded gun or to have one in their vehicle, Foster said. While a permit is not required to openly carry in most of the state, the license is needed to “open carry” in Philadelphia.

People have to apply in the county in which they live, Foster said.

In addition to the $20 cost, getting a permit requires filling out and signing an application, being photographed and having a background check through the state police instant check system, Foster said. Permits are issued in a few minutes unless the background check takes longer, in which case they are mailed.

On the application, Kraus does not require references, in order to preserve applicants’ right to privacy, nor does he require employment information, because a job is not needed to get a license. Kraus also does not require an email address.

Reasons carry permits can be denied include a conviction of a first-degree misdemeanor offense or higher, involuntary mental health commitments and any drug-related offense.

A total of 1,855 people have been serviced at Saturday events this year, including three at the county courthouse and ones in Fawn in March, Elizabeth Township in April and Springdale Township on Saturday, sheriff spokesman Mike Manko said.

A couple hours in at the Allegheny Valley fire hall Saturday, Foster said the day had been slow. He figured the satellite event in Fawn had taken care of much of the demand in the area. There was about a 50-50 split between new and renewed licenses.

Greg and Crystal Dessell, of Springdale Township, came to renew each of their licenses to carry.

“If we go to a strange place, it’s nice to have a little bit of protection,” Greg Dessell said, adding that they also like to target shoot.

Crystal Dessell said it was easier for them to come to their local fire hall on the weekend instead of going downtown during the work week.

“It’s so much nicer. You don’t have to worry about parking and traffic,” Greg Dessell said.

Sam and Kim Kilgore, of Brackenridge, came to get new permits for themselves after Kim won a shotgun at a Pioneer Hose gun bash earlier this year and, with money she won, also bought a pistol.

An encounter with a bear while camping in Cook Forest last year is one reason Kim Kilgore wanted a license to carry.

“I just want to have it with me just in case,” she said.

Kim Kilgore said she’s never had a carry permit before, and needs to learn how to use her pistol.

“I don’t think I’ll ever need it. I have protection. I have a pit bull,” she said.

For those willing to make the trip downtown, permits are available at the sheriff’s office, 436 Grant St. in the courthouse courtyard, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays.