Age is just a number to Larry "Pappy" Phillips who keeps going, going and going

  • Published
  • By Janae' Daniels
  • AEDC/PA
Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn. --  Ever since he was a child he wanted to be a firefighter. He loved the excitement and risk of potentially saving lives. As soon as he was eligible, Larry "Pappy" Phillips, driver/operator for AEDC's Fire and Emergency Services, enlisted into the Air Force to become a firefighter. 

"Firefighting is my passion," Phillips explained. "My father was one and at 18 not knowing what I wanted to do after joining the Air Force, it seemed logical." 

Phillips reccalls his first fire. 

"I was scared to death in my first pit fire," he remembers. "I thought I was fighting for my life because everywhere I looked there was fire, at my feet and everywhere else." 

A fellow firefighter from years ago commented to Phillips about the "fire" in his eyes after fighting his first fire. 

"After it was over I wasn't scared so much and people could tell I had a passion for it," he said. "And ever since then, I've been hooked." 

After serving four years in the Air Force, Phillips joined the AEDC family in November 1961. Because his father Buford Phillips worked as a firefighter at the time, Phillips was not allowed to work in the same area so he began his AEDC career as a photographer. 

Phillips notes that his father was one of the first 10 guards at Northern Field to be transferred to AEDC. 

The elder Phillips worked at AEDC for 17 years. After his father's retirement, Phillips became an AEDC firefighter in 1980. 

"Firefighting is always a team effort," he said. "Some say they've saved a lot of lives, but you really don't keep up with the numbers when you just go out and do it." 

Chief of AEDC's Fire and Emergency Services Daryle Lopes has the opportunity to interact with Phillips on a daily basis when he is on duty. 

"I always look forward to seeing him and hearing the latest story of the most recent shooting competition he was in or what's happening out on the floor here at the Fire Hall," Chief Lopes said. "He's a highly valued member of my team with a long and varied history of service at AEDC and I'm thrilled to have him here each day." 

Henry Whitaker, who has known Phillips for almost 30 years, said he always has a positive frame of mind and loves his job and his fellow firefighters. 

"Larry is very dedicated, passionate about his job and eager to learn new information and eager to teach the younger firefighters." 

At 70, Phillips sees retirement within reach, but feels as long as he can perform his duties to the highest level, he will stay as long as he can. 

"If I can just save one more life, it's worth staying," he said. 

Chief Lopes thinks the secret to Phillips' longevity for working at AEDC so long is his determination and passion. 

"It all comes down to the love for his job, close camaraderie with his fellow fire fighters and his devotion to staying fit and strong," the chief said. "And, like all fire fighters, he loves to drive fast with the lights and siren on!" 

Even when Phillips has time off, he still doesn't stop. He finds ways to keep busy. One of his past times is building guns for turkey shoots. 

"Before I was in the Air Force I was in the Guard. In the Guard I was on the rifle team," he explained. "That kind of started my interest in guns and turkey shoots." 

Johnny Wimberly, a friend, owned a shoot in Winchester and introduced the idea to Phillips about actually building the guns. 

"Growing up around here I did a lot of hunting and fishing," he said. "I started participating in turkey shoots down at the race track in Winchester and Johnny told me I should learn how to build the guns." 

Phillips's wife Louise also shoots with him from time to time. "She's actually a better shot than I am," he laughed. "We went down to Alabama a few weekends ago and she shot against 32 men and came in first place on everything."