Title: Director
Company: Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department
Location: AK/USA
Education: Coursework; High School Diploma
Career History: Director, Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department (2022-Present); Emergency Manager, Petersburg Borough; Wilderness First Responder; Lifeguard Instructor; EMS Lieutenant; Volunteer, EMS Branch, Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department; Mechanic, Piston & Rudder Service, Inc.
Aaron R. Hankins, Fire/EMS/SAR Director at Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department, has been recognized as a Marquis Emerging Leader for their contributions and achievements in the field of public safety.
An active member of the Petersburg Volunteer Department since 2016, with ETT, EMT-1, and EMS LT certifications, Mr. Hankins became its Fire/EMS/SAR Director in 2022. In this role, he oversees nine people and is in charge of the department’s emergency operations plan, disaster response plan, and hazard mitigation plan, as well as standard operating procedures. Dedicated to emergency preparedness and helping others in his community, he is also a CPR-BLS certified instructor and has previously demonstrated his passion for public safety as the emergency manager for Petersburg Borough, a wilderness first responder, a lifeguard instructor, an EMS lieutenant, and vice president of a nonprofit volunteer department association. In addition, Mr. Hankins works as a mechanic for Piston & Rudder Service, Inc., a marine maintenance company that serves commercial and recreational boaters in Southeast Alaska.
Recognized with an Unsung Hero Award from the district governor of Alaska in 2019, Mr. Hankins has been featured in the Petersburg Pilot newspaper and appeared on the KFSK radio station, on which he voiced his desire to run for an assembly seat in the borough in order to provide representation for the fire department. Since 2021, he has served as president of the Rotary Club, where he was part of the project to build a brand new playground—consisting of a fundraising effort of more than $100,000, which he considers his most notable achievement. He attributes his success to his family, who instilled in him a strong work ethic and a motivation to give back to others.
Looking toward the future, Mr. Hankins strives to continue serving the community through the volunteer fire department—promoting and raising awareness of emergency preparedness along the way. Outside of work endeavors, he enjoys helping his wife with her cooking business, spending time with their two children, going on boat rides, and fishing.
