Laurel County Fire Department Major and Whitley County E-911 Assistant Director Leslie Leatherman died a hero in the line of duty Friday night as he responded to a tornado. He was found dead laying on top of his wife, who survived but was critically injured.
“Major Leatherman’s selfless actions exemplify the highest ideals of public service and sacrifice. His commitment to duty and protection of others, even under the most dangerous conditions, will never be forgotten. The Laurel County Fire Department honors his legacy and mourns the loss of a brother, leader, and hero,” the fire department wrote in a recent post on its Facebook page.
Flags have been lowered at the National Fallen Firefighter’s Memorial in honor of Leatherman.
Whitley County Judge-Executive Pat White Jr. noted that Leatherman will be greatly missed.
“Les spent his life in public service. He dedicated nearly all of his adult life to serving others. He was a tremendous asset to Whitley County E-911,” said White. “Les was instrumental in training our employees at the dispatch center and was a fine person who will be very missed.”
A hero’s death
About 11:07 p.m. Friday, a tornado was confirmed on the ground in Somerset. The National Weather Service issued several warnings for surrounding areas, including Laurel County.
At 11:47 p.m., a fire alarm was reported at 582 Sunshine Hills Road. Leatherman responded from his home. Over the next two minutes, calls came in about a trapped person at 291 Hart Church Road and a structural collapse at 382 Sunshine Hills Road, indicating widespread damage in the Sunshine Hills community.
Laurel County Fire Department Lt. James Spicer contacted Laurel County 911 via radio reporting a tornado on the ground with major damage. He requested that all county fire departments be paged for response.
When emergency responders arrived, they discovered two individuals in a field across from Boone Trace on Sunshine Hills Road. An unidentified, conscious woman was calling for help with a man found lying on top of her, who was unresponsive.
First responders didn’t know it at the time, but Leslie Leatherman was the deceased man, and the woman was his wife, Michelle Leatherman.
First responders removed the man and treated the woman, who was transported to the hospital by EMS. The man was confirmed deceased, and his location was recorded for later identification and response by the coroner, the fire department post noted.
Between midnight and 12:30 a.m., attempts to reach Leslie Leatherman were unsuccessful, which prompted the launch of a search effort.
During this time, responders revisited the earlier fatality in the field. Spicer and Deputy Chief Jared Kennedy returned to the scene and confirmed that the deceased man was Leslie Leatherman.
“It appears that Major Leatherman was responding to the initial fire alarm when the tornado struck. Upon encountering the injured female, he used his body to shield her from further harm. He was fatally injured in the process. The female was later identified as his wife, Michelle Leatherman, who was critically injured. It is unknown if Major Leatherman was aware of her identity at the time due to the extreme darkness, noise, and traumatic events,” the fire department post noted.
Leatherman remembered.
White noted that Leatherman was a devoted and knowledgeable dispatcher and assistant director at Whitley County E-911.
“In the last few days many people have referred to him as the calm voice on the other end of the phone. He helped run our dispatch center efficiently and was a role model and mentor to the other dispatchers,” White added.
Whitley County Police Chief and E-911 Director Brandon Prewitt noted that Leatherman spent his adult life dedicated to public service, and always went above and beyond to ensure that all emergency personnel were taken care of. He would always do whatever he was able to in order to help anyone that he could, especially those in emergency services.
“Les spent many hours researching different projects that might help agencies, not just one agency, but all of them. It did not matter to Les whether it was police, fire or EMS. All of them were taken care of,” Prewitt said.
“When you think of a public servant Les would be at the top of the list, from his fire training, his time in an ambulance, or most of his time behind the radio for the first responders. If you were out in the field no matter if it was police, fire or EMS, Les is the one you would want to be sitting in the chair behind the radio. His voice or demeanor would not change no matter what the call was. I have heard numerous police officers over the years that stated that if not the best, he was one of the best dispatchers they ever worked with. Les’ heart was and will always be in the radio room of a dispatch center and you could sure tell it. He was the best example of a great dispatcher.”
So far, no funeral arrangements have been set for Leatherman.
