With 25 years of work in the Public Safety arena, Henry Lanouette is a seasoned professional who serves as the International Training Manager for Zee Medical. He has trained thousands of students in addition to instructors and trainers in his 12 years as a Medic First Aid Master Trainer. (The photo at right was taken of Henry while in Hawaii attending THE SYMPOSIUM, a meeting of all the top Zee sales representatives in North America.)

Early in his Medic First Aid teaching career Henry learned that in every class - someone is likely to need to use their skills. He says, "Medic First Aid studies show that about 2 students out of 10 will be presented with an emergency requiring the use of their training. The studies also show that 98% of students who encounter one of these emergencies WILL offer to help! That simple thought keeps Medic First Aid 'real' and 'important' for me."

He recounts an incident that one of his students, "Gabe," encountered. His 80-year-old grandfather was brought out from the nursing home to join the family for a holiday meal. Suddenly grandpa began to choke on too much of his favorite food: calamari. The adult sisters ran away, into the kitchen. Gabe said they were screaming and crying, and they turned on the water to mask the noise of the emergency. Gabe lifted his grandfather up and applied sub-diaphragmatic abdominal thrusts and cleared the obstruction. This incident reinforced to Henry that every class is important; and, within every class there is an opportunity to influence a potential responder which can result in a saved life.

For Henry the Medic First Aid step-link concept of training is an important component of its success because of the direction it provides a student. He says, "When I first took my EMT training 23 years ago, we learned how to handle many separate emergencies. However, when I approached an emergency, I found myself sorting through the file box in my mind. We observed the present injury, and then applied the appropriate treatment. When there were multiple injuries…we picked what appeared worst. Medic First Aid teaches the most basic student priorities of care in a very clear, simple manner."

In training instructors, Henry stresses the simple, straightforward Medic First Aid model of training. "What I try to embed in the professionals I teach is don't reinvent the wheel. Follow the plan - it works!"

When not wearing his professional hat, Henry enjoys singing in the choir and spending time with his family which includes his two children, Henri and Katy. Henry credits his success to Kathy Murray Lanouette, his wife of 20 years, "the lady who makes everything I do possible."