Keith Hanks

FF/EMT (ret.), Author, Advocate, International Speaker/Podcaster, Documentaries

Keith Hanks is a retired Firefighter and EMT that dedicated 21 years of his life to the service of others. He serviced his community as a training officer, certified educator, and field training officer. Keith worked both inner-city EMS as well as municipal fire. Like many in the first responder community the job has its cost. From childhood trauma and sexual abuse, traumatic calls, the tragic passing of his first wife, Keith has faced many trials and tragedies that resulted in self-harm, substance abuse, lies and multiple suicide attempts. After decades of damage Keith began to put the pieces of his life back together.
Keith was diagnosed with Complex PTSD in 2015. The job, the service, his dedication caused this injury, and consequently his retirement. What PTS didn’t change was the love and devotion to his community and to his fellow first responders. Keith has since dedicated his life to advocating for mental illness, substance and alcohol abuse recovery, and suicide awareness. Since starting this mission Keith built an international support group through Facebook for First Responders and Veterans for PTSI and other job-related mental health issues. Keith was asked to be a part of the Deconstructing Stigma Project and has a Billboard that hangs in the International Terminal at Logan Airport in Boston MA, along with the Manchester Regional Airport. In March 2022 he completed the filming of his 1st feature length documentary focusing on PTSD in the first responder community and has since been featured in two other related documentaries. Keith is a international speaker/podcast personality, and published author. He is a contributing author at Fire Engineering, Firefighter Nation, and The Volunteer Firefighter magazines/forums. He also wrote a featured chapter in the ongoing Amazon best-selling series Scars to Stars Volume 3.
Keith’s transparency in his own life has led him to share his story through social media and many other platforms to reach the most people he can. He is known for saying that his life goal is to reduce suicide in the first responder community through education, support resources and to make it OK to reach out for help. He resides in New Hampshire with his wife and is the proud father to three incredible children.