D is for Dianne Croteau: A Real Lifesaver

In celebration of Canada’s 150^th birthday, my theme for the 2017 Blogging From A to ZChallenge, is CANADA. 

Join me throughout April (every day except Sundays) to learn more about the inventions, the people, and the cultures that make up one of the greatest countries in the world—O CANADA!

D is for Dianne Croteau: A Real Lifesaver

Have you ever seen those mannequins that are used to teach CPR courses? My grandpa has taken many first aid workshops over the years—safety first on the farm!—and he showed me a picture of one once. They’re pretty neat.

They were also invented by a Canadian.

Diane Croteau was born in Sudbury Ontario, and she and her partners Richard Brault and Jonathan Vinden, invented the Actar 911, a realistic mannequin used for teaching first aid that truly revolutionized people’s ability to save lives. 

The mannequin, a light weight, compact and inexpensive model, features artificial lungs that can be pushed down to stimulate a real life emergency. The Actar 911 has become an industry standard, and is now used all across the world.

Now that’s impressive!

Also impressive is the colourful wardrobe of famous Canadian Don Cherry, hockey broadcaster, coach, player and team owner—he’s a popular fixture on the Canadian hockey scene, so of course I had to include him!

I know, I know—both of my “D” words were a bit of a stretch, but tomorrow, I’ve got an excellent <tee hee> list of “E” inventions you won’t believe are Canadian! Gotta jet, but I’ll see you tomorrow…right?

~ Chase Superman Duffy 

P.S. Check out @SupermanDuffy’s Instagram for pictures of the Superman Duffy graphic novel book tour—author Dawn Ius and illustrator James Grasdal are on the road, kicking things off with a week in Calgary for school visits and Aggie Days.