Lawrence “Jeff” Phipps began his fire service career in 1985 as a volunteer firefighter, following in the footsteps of his father, who was a career firefighter. Jeff became a career firefighter with Hanover County Fire-EMS Department in 1996 and spent time assigned to the fire marshal’s office and the training division before serving many years as a battalion chief in operations. Over the years, Jeff became the senior battalion chief and was known for his strong firefighting tactics and command presence.

Jeff went for a colonoscopy after his 50th birthday, and an aggressive form of colon cancer was discovered. Jeff lost his battle with cancer on July 18, 2021, four months after his initial diagnosis. During his battle, Jeff advocated for other department members to get a colonoscopy and saved several others when issues were discovered early, allowing early treatment and full recoveries. Today, Jeff’s legacy in the fire service carries on with his son, Jeffery, continuing the family tradition by serving with Hanover Fire-EMS.