The Columbus Fire Department welcomed eight new firefighters to the department on Tuesday morning. Firefighters were sworn in by Columbus Mayor Mary Ferdon during Tuesday’s Board of Public Works and Safety meeting at Columbus City Hall, bringing the department to full staff.
The new firefighters are:
- Jacob Corya, 25, a 2019 graduate of Jennings County High School and a U.S. Navy Veteran. Corya is currently a member of the Vernon Township Volunteer Fire Department and certified in firefighter I & II and hazardous materials awareness and operations.
- Jeffrey Gilliam, 29, a 2014 graduate of Jennings County High School who has served 10 years with the Indiana National Guard and is currently serving as a 1st Lieutenant. Gilliam’s military training has included airborne, air assault, pathfinder, mountain warfare school and jumpmaster training. Gilliam is a 2018 graduate of Indiana State University where he majored in criminology and minored in military leadership. Gilliam previously served as a Columbus police officer for six years. In addition to being an emergency medical technician, Gilliam’s fire training includes firefighter I & II and hazardous materials awareness and operations.
- Caleb Meeks, 26, a 2016 graduate of Edgewood High School. Meeks studied at Ivy Tech before earning an associate’s degree in conservation law from Vincennes University in 2018. Meeks’ prior emergency service experience includes working as a Jennings County sheriff’s department dispatcher. Meeks’ training includes firefighter I & II, hazardous materials awareness and operations and basic first response training.
- Matthew Shorten, 41, a 2001 graduate of East Central High School, studied at Ivy Tech. Shorten joins the Columbus Fire Department with extensive experience including nine years of service as a full time firefighter in Greensburg and as a volunteer with the Batesville Volunteer Fire Department. In addition to firefighter I & II, hazardous materials awareness and operations training, Shorten is a basic emergency medical technician. Shorten has also obtained technician-level certifications in rope rescue, swift water rescue, ice rescue and vehicle and machinery rescue.
- Jesse Taulman, 29, a 2014 graduate of Columbus North High School. Taulman’s fire service experience includes volunteering with both Columbus Township Fire and Rescue and Southwest Fire Departments. Taulman is a nationally registered basic emergency medical technician.
- Andrew Vehslage, 22, a 2021 graduate of Seymour High School. Vehslage is certified in firefighter I & II and hazardous materials awareness and operations. Vehslage carries on a firefighting legacy following in his father’s footsteps — Mark Vehslage is a retired firefighter with 25 years of service with the Seymour Fire Department.
- Brayden Warfield, 28, a 2014 graduate of Columbus North High School. Warfield’s fire service experience includes five years with Southwest Fire Department and one year with Wayne Township Fire Department. Warfield is certified in firefighter I & II and hazardous materials awareness and operations.
- Jason Yelland, 27, a 2015 graduate of North Branch (Michigan) High School. Yelland is a 2019 graduate of Maranatha Baptist University (Wisconsin) with an associate’s degree in interdisciplinary studies. Yelland has been a volunteer firefighter with Columbus Township Fire and Rescue for one year and holds certifications that include firefighter I & II, hazardous materials awareness and operations and numerous national incident management system courses.
All firefighters will undergo a department orientation and training program. Firefighters not previously certified will obtain a basic emergency medical technician certification, firefighter I & II certification and hazardous materials operations and awareness certification. At the completion of all training requirements, each firefighter will receive a station and shift assignment.
