Firefighters from across the state honored their own at the Mississippi Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service, including the late Todd Lanthrip of Mathiston.
The service was held the morning of Oct. 8 on the campus of the Mississippi State Fire Academy in Pearl.
Lanthrip, a member of the Mathiston and Reform volunteer fire departments, was among four firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty this year. The others were Randall Yeatman of the Woodland VFD in neighboring Chickasaw County, Robert Dunaway of the Howell VFD and Dustin Grubbs of the Magee VFD.
With these four additions, 106 names are inscribed on the Mississippi Fallen Firefighters Memorial Wall, which commemorates those who have served the citizens of Mississippi by giving the ultimate sacrifice.
Firefighters, friends and family from across the state attended the annual event to honor and reflect on the commitment to service that these firefighters gave to their communities and to the people they served.
According to the U.S. Fire Administration’s website and local reports, Lanthrip had responded to a two-car collision the evening of June 12 on Highway 403. One passenger was injured in the accident.
The USFA stated Lanthrip returned home afterwards and became unresponsive at approximately 1:30 a.m. June 13. He died that day at age 53 at North Mississippi Medical Center-Eupora, according to his obituary.
Lanthrip was a member of the Mathiston Volunteer Fire Department for 31 years, achieving the rank of captain, and of the Reform Volunteer Fire Department for 16 years, where he served as captain, secretary and treasurer. His achievements included being a certified volunteer firefighter Level 1, emergency medical responder and other certification from the MSFA.
Lanthrip was born and raised in the Sherwood community in Choctaw County. He was a member, deacon and senior Sunday School teacher at Blythe Creek Baptist Church, where he is buried in the church cemetery.
“We remember Captain Todd Lanthrip for his devotion to his community and his service to help others,” Mathiston Alderman Lavelle McAlpin wrote in a social media post accompanying a video of the memorial service in Pearl. “The Mathiston Volunteer Fire Department was better for his presence and dedicated devotion to his work.”
