A ‘go-to’ guy.
That’s the description Columbus Fire Chief Andy Lay uses when talking about Matt Noblitt, the city’s recently-retired fire inspector.
Noblitt’s knowledge is so considerable that everyone goes to him for information or results, firefighters said.
And he also served as the face and voice of the fire department as public information officer from 2001 to 2013.
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Noblitt officially retired after 35 years with the Columbus Fire Department on Jan. 10.
While the fire chief says he has plenty of knowledgeable people on his staff, he also said Noblitt is leaving behind very big shoes to fill.
“Matt is the guy who would always step up, lead, and do what’s right and honorable,” Lay said. “You could always count on Matt to do anything.”
More than 100 people — ranging from law enforcement officers to top elected officials — attended a recent reception to honor the 60-year-old Noblitt.
Starting a career
Although Matt Noblitt’s father served as a member of the Jonesville Volunteer Fire Department, the son of Robert and Shirley Noblitt didn’t gave any indication in his youth that he wanted to be a firefighter, according to his father.
After graduating from Columbus East High School in 1977, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and was eventually trained as an air conditioning and refrigeration technician at Elmendorf Air Base in Anchorage, Alaska.
The military provided Noblitt a valuable skill and trade that Noblitt would utilize for several years after his 1981 discharge. He began working full-time for Dillman Heating and Air Conditioning after returning to civilian life, he said.
Noblitt may have stayed in the HVAC business if it weren’t for the influence of two men he played tennis with — Columbus Fire Department firefighters Bob Allman and Dave Dwyer.
Allman and Dwyer began talking enthusiastically about how much they enjoyed being CFD firefighters, Matt Noblitt said.
“They are the ones who led me to thinking that firefighting would be a heck of a career,” Noblitt said.
Shortly after the birth of his first child, Noblitt said he began a year-and-a-half exercise regime to make sure he would be physically fit to be accepted as a Columbus firefighter.
On Dec. 31, 1984, former Columbus mayor Robert Stewart swore in the 25-year-old Noblitt as a firefighter, along with six other men: Phil Baugher, Richard Chatham, Tony Shipley, Gary Mize, Robert Arhmann and Bryan Snyder.
“I am the last of that class left,” Noblitt said. Most of the six others chose to retire with a pension after 20 years of service while they were still young enough to secure other forms of employment, he explained.
But there are still two active city firefighters with more seniority than Matt Noblitt: Dwyer and Rick Mullis, he said.
When asked about the most challenging experiences, Matt Noblitt first mentioned fighting a blaze in 105-degree weather that resulted in the death of an adult.
He also recalled another fire that claimed the life of a 4-year-old. After the body was discovered, Noblitt was required to inform the victim’s grandparents of the child’s death, he said.
“That is a day I’d really like to forget,” Noblitt said.
Handling CFD public information
In 2001, Matt Noblitt was promoted to CFD administrative captain and public information officer.
He drafted plans for what would later be “Tilly,” the department’s popular miniature fire truck. Matt Noblitt and his father Robert built “Tilly” under the supervision of mechanic Mark Williams.
“Tilly” was officially approved by city and fire officials after Noblitt explained to his superiors how the miniature train could be used as a tool for fire safety education and community involvement.
Since then, “Tilly” has appeared in parades, community events and countless fire safety education opportunities at local schools and regional events, including the Hoosier Burn Camp.
In 2014, Matt Noblitt was promoted to fire inspector. One of his most notable late-career accomplishments was his work to revise and update the city fire ordinances that were approved a year ago, according to the fire department.
Fathers and sons
While attending his son’s retirement party, Robert Noblitt reflected back on how firefighting has changed over the decades.
Several decades ago when he was a Jonesville firefighter, an emergency call came in at a time when all the town’s volunteers couldn’t get away from their full-time jobs to respond. Shirley Noblitt was quickly recruited into driving the fire truck with only one firefighter aboard: the fire chief, Robert Noblitt said.
Matt Noblitt’s son Ben, is a Columbus firefighter, and he said working with his son for the past nine years, as well as watching Ben Noblitt help lead the Columbus Cheer Fund, has been rewarding.
“I’m very proud of Ben,” Matt Noblitt said. “He has really taken the reins.”
While Ben Noblitt said he feels some sadness that he will no longer be working with his father, he also feels happy for him.
“He’s been doing this for a long time, so he can take a break and go do something else now,” Ben Noblitt said. “Being on-call all the time is very stressful. So unless times get tough, I don’t see him going out to get another job.”
The Columbus Fire Department currently has two full-time fire inspector positions. The department plans to announce Noblitt’s successor at a later time.
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Age: 60
Education: Class of 1977 at Columbus East High School.
Military: Joined the U.S. Air Force in August, 1977. Stationed at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, Alaska. Trained to work in refrigeration and air conditioning. Honorably discharged in 1981.
Employment: Employed by Dillman Heating and Air Conditioning after military discharge. Continued to work for Dillman part-time after becoming a full-time Columbus firefighter (January 1985) for another 10 years. Co-owner of B&T Heating and Air Conditioning from 1995 to 2000.
Career: Promoted to administrative captain and public information officer in 2001. Promoted to fire inspector in 2014.
Family: Wife, Marsha. Four children: Ben, Zachary, Dalton and Krystal.
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