Local Fire Chiefs to Lead State Fire Council

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Jerome Township Fire Chief Scott Skeldon and Orange Township Fire Chief Matt Noble were elected to serve as Chairman & Vice Chairman of the Ohio State Fire Council respectively at the January meeting of the Ohio State Fire Council.

Both Skeldon & Noble are Madison County residents, who were appointed to the State Fire Council by Governor John Kasich in July of 2012.

Chief Skeldon has been the Fire Chief for Jerome Township since April of 1999, previously serving as the Assistant Chief of the department since its inception in 1992.

Skeldon also served as a career firefighter for Norwich Township in Hilliard for 15 years and has remained a volunteer/part-time firefighter for his hometown of West Jefferson for the past 37 years.

Locally, Chief Skeldon participates on many levels of emergency services. He served as President of the Ohio Fire Chiefs’ Association from 2005-2006 and is currently the Ohio Representative for the Great Lakes Division of the International Association of Fire Chiefs.

Chief Noble has been the Fire Chief of Orange Township since March of 2014, previously serving as Assistant Chief for the department.

 Chief Noble previously served as the Fire Chief of the City of London Fire Department and as a part-time firefighter for Jefferson Township.

Locally, Chief Noble also participates on many levels of emergency services. He currently serves as South Central District Director of the Ohio Fire Chiefs’ Association, and is active with the Fire Chiefs’ Association of Central Ohio and the Delaware County Fire Chiefs’ Association. He has also been adjunct fire instructor for the Ohio Fire Academy and Tolles Technical Center.

Chief Skeldon represents the Ohio State Firefighters Association and the volunteer fire service on the council while Chief Noble represents the Ohio Fire Chiefs' Association and the paid fire service. Both of their terms will run through November 1, 2016.

The State Fire Commission’s duties include conducting research and publishing reports on fire safety for the Governor and the General Assembly, reviewing the state fire code and making recommendations for revision of fire code rules to the State Fire Marshal, and assisting the Director of Commerce in the selection and recommendation process whenever the State Fire Marshal position becomes vacant. The Fire Commission also maintains the Ohio Fire Service Hall of Fame and awards program.