An Adair County woman has admitted deliberately setting a blaze that led to the death of a firefighter. Brandi Pritchard, 41, of Columbia pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court in Bowling Green to one charge of arson and one charge of mail fraud, according to her plea agreement. Pritchard admitted taking part with her husband, Steve Allen “Boo” Pritchard, in a plan to set fire to the house they rented in order to collect insurance payments.
- PUB DATE: 5/4/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Lexington Herald-Leader

In zero visibility conditions, Toledo Fire Capt. Luke Harman described for a jury in Lucas County Common Pleas Court today how he crawled on his hands and knees, feeling with his hands every inch in front of him when he felt what would turn out to be a face mask. “My hand dipped into an opening in the debris and grabbed what was without a doubt a human leg,” he said.
- PUB DATE: 5/4/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Toledo Blade

A trio of Los Angeles city firefighters have earned the dubious distinction as the top public employee overtime earners in California, thanks to a generous overtime policy. Transparent California found that Charles F. Ferrari, a Los Angeles City Fire Captain II, collected $334,655 in overtime, to earn a total of $483,770 in 2016.
- PUB DATE: 5/4/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KCAL-TV Los Angeles

After a marathon mediation in the Matthew Badger lawsuit against the city, Legal Affairs Director Kathryn Emmett announced late Tuesday the parties have settled for an undisclosed amount, three weeks before a trial was to begin. S. Campbell Badger, brother of Matthew — who died in February — the city, Operations Director Ernie Orgera and Chief Building Official Robert DeMarco have resolved the claims in the civil suit "without reflecting any liability or fault on the part of the defendants," Emmett said in an email.
- PUB DATE: 5/4/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Stamford Advocate

A toddler laughing while firefighters worked to free him from a locked car has gone viral. Today.com reported that 14-month-old Brandon Emery locked himself in his mother's car. His mother had put him in the back seat while she unloaded groceries into the trunk. After closing the trunk with the car keys still inside, the toddler pushed the power locks.
- PUB DATE: 5/4/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: FireRescue1