Allegheny County Volunteer Firefighters Association wrapped up its 98th annual convention with a parade and other festivities on Saturday.
The week-long event hosted this year by West Homestead Volunteer Fire Department brought firefighters from all over the county.
Saturday started with many activities and food stands for West Homestead Community Day and then an ACVFA parade featuring a wide variety of fire trucks and other vehicles.
"It went well," ACVFA president Dave Harhai said. "The Steel Valley Band was there. They did a nice job. The participating fire departments looked good with their trucks shining."
Entertainment and events followed the parade.
The association had a golf outing on Friday and the association honored six local officers and a Munhall resident with Heroism Awards later that evening.
Munhall police officers Dan Boehme and Jason Poniewaz and resident Bill Binion were recognized for their actions during an Aug. 6, 2011, fire in the 200 block of W. Virginia Avenue in Munhall. Before fire companies arrived on scene, Binion went into the burning structure to rescue his elderly, wheelchair-bound neighbor. Boehme and Poniewaz entered the first floor to rescue a man who was sleeping.
Munhall police officer Todd Shipley and Homestead police officer James Ilgenfritz received awards for rescuing a wheelchair-bound woman from an Aug. 19, 2011, fire in the 300 block of E. Sixteenth Avenue in Homestead. The officers carried the woman to safety.
"We work very close with the fire department every chance we get," Ilgenfritz said.
Braddock police officers Brian Stotlemyer and Raymond Marr were lauded for rescuing residents from a Dec. 18, 2011, Rankin apartment fire along Kenmawr Avenue. Both officers were treated for smoke inhalation. Rankin police officers were responding to a shooting in a neighboring municipality at the time of the fire.
"It was a team effort," Stotlemyer said. "We pulled together and got everyone out safely."
Three police officers could not attend the awards presentation due to vacations and family commitments.
"A lot of people don't realize we do give awards to the police," Heroism Award Committee chairman Bob Asson Sr. said. "They normally arrive (at fire scenes) before the fire departments. They are the first ones in the building."
Harhai said the association looks every year for Heroism Award and Firefighter of the Year recipients and encourages nominations.
ACVFA did not name a Firefighter of the Year recipient this year because there were no nominations.
The food and entertainment continued after Friday evening's meeting.
Fire organizations competed in the Battle of the Barrel on Tuesday and Wednesday nights on W. Eighth Avenue.
A special mass at St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish in Homestead on June 10, the convention's first day, honored more than 20 ACVFA members who have passed away.
West Homestead VFD Chief John G. Dindak and Harhai, who also is West Homestead VFD president, said they had been hoping for more participation in the convention from local fire companies.
"I'm a little disappointed, especially with the water battles on Tuesday and Wednesday," Harhai said. "We had only six teams. Because of the small number of teams, we battled and finished on Tuesday. We just did it for fun on Wednesday."
"We understand that people are busy, but this only comes once a year," Dindak said. "The memorial Mass was decently attended, but I expected more firefighters. We were remembering people who passed."
West Homestead also hosted the annual ACVFA convention in 1976 and 2010.
