# Lexington to launch major AED mapping initiative Monday **Published:** 2026-10-02T19:36:40Z **Source:** City of Lexington Mayor's Office (press release, emailed to editor@lexingtonky.news) **AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) **Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/lexington-to-launch-major-aed-mapping-initiative-monday LEXINGTON, Ky. — [City leaders will announce plans Monday](https://www.youtube.com/@LEXTV/featured) to map automated external defibrillators across Lexington and Fayette County, making the life-saving devices instantly visible to emergency dispatchers and the public during cardiac emergencies. Mayor Linda Gorton will headline the 10 a.m. news conference at Fire Station #1, joining [Cardiac Crusade Lexington representatives](https://cardiaccrusade.org/lexington/), UK Gill Heart & Vascular Institute Director Dr. Vedant Gupta, Fire Department Assistant Chief Chad Traylor, and officials from the American Heart Association and the Lexington Division of Enhanced 911. The ["Restart a Heart: Lexington" initiative aims to map over 1,000 AEDs](https://lifestyle.middletownlifemagazine.com/story/727704/city-of-lexington-the-state-of-kentucky-and-cardiac-crusade-announce-major-life-saving-aed-mapping-initiative/) on the PulsePoint database, a system accessible to both emergency services and the public. The effort has received [endorsement from Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear](https://lifestyle.middletownlifemagazine.com/story/727704/city-of-lexington-the-state-of-kentucky-and-cardiac-crusade-announce-major-life-saving-aed-mapping-initiative/). The initiative grew from [Sarah Katzenmaier's survival of sudden cardiac arrest during Lexington's 2021 Thriller Parade](https://www.lex18.com/news/covering-kentucky/sudden-cardiac-arrest-survivor-helps-launch-aed-mapping-project-in-lexington-after-thriller-parade-collapse). At the time, [Lexington had only 4 verified AEDs on the map](https://kentuckylantern.com/2026/09/25/theres-an-easy-way-to-save-lives-from-sudden-cardiac-arrest/), though that number has grown to [over 150](https://kentuckylantern.com/2026/09/25/theres-an-easy-way-to-save-lives-from-sudden-cardiac-arrest/) through volunteer efforts. "CPR buys time, but AEDs restore life," organizers said in a statement about the campaign. "Mapping these devices empowers everyday citizens to step up as a community safety net." Research shows [nine out of ten cardiac arrest victims who receive a shock from an AED in the first minute will survive](https://lifestyle.middletownlifemagazine.com/story/727704/city-of-lexington-the-state-of-kentucky-and-cardiac-crusade-announce-major-life-saving-aed-mapping-initiative/). [In communities where Cardiac Crusade has established groups, such as Boston and Buffalo, survival rates of sudden cardiac arrest have risen from less than 10% to more than 60%](https://smileypete.com/community/second-chance-to-dance/). Community members can help by downloading the PulsePoint AED app, identifying AED locations, and completing free online training to become a certified verifier. [The city is seeking volunteer "Cardiac Cats" to map devices across the Bluegrass Region](https://cardiaccrusade.org/lexington/). ## Sources - [LEX 18 news article on AED mapping project](https://www.lex18.com/news/covering-kentucky/sudden-cardiac-arrest-survivor-helps-launch-aed-mapping-project-in-lexington-after-thriller-parade-collapse) - [Middletown Life Magazine coverage of city announcement](https://lifestyle.middletownlifemagazine.com/story/727704/city-of-lexington-the-state-of-kentucky-and-cardiac-crusade-announce-major-life-saving-aed-mapping-initiative/) - [Kentucky Lantern commentary on AED initiative](https://kentuckylantern.com/2026/09/25/theres-an-easy-way-to-save-lives-from-sudden-cardiac-arrest/) - [Cardiac Crusade official Lexington page](https://cardiaccrusade.org/lexington/) - [Smiley Pete Publishing feature on initiative](https://smileypete.com/community/second-chance-to-dance/) --- This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) from a press release emailed to editor@lexingtonky.news by City of Lexington Mayor's Office, enriched with 2 web searches.