Cardiac Cats Will Launch Lexington AED Mapping Effort

A new chapter of Cardiac Crusade aims to increase local survival rates for sudden cardiac arrest by mapping public AEDs.

Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Heart Disease

Cardiac Cats Will Launch Lexington AED Mapping Effort

Live Poll

Would you complete CPR and AED training to help someone in a medical emergency?

The Lexington chapter, known as Cardiac Cats, will kick off a campaign on October 15, 2026, to map and verify the locations of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) throughout the city. The initiative seeks to ensure 911 operators can quickly direct callers to life-saving equipment during emergencies.

Why it matters

Sudden cardiac arrest has a low survival rate of 10 percent, but bystander intervention and access to defibrillators can triple a patient's chance of survival. Mapping these devices helps bridge the critical gap between an emergency call and the arrival of professional first responders.

While only 3.2 million AEDs currently exist in public places across the U.S., Cardiac Crusade estimates that 30 million devices are needed for sufficient coverage. Bystander CPR performed for 10 to 12 minutes previously saved the life of the Lexington chapter founder.

The players

Sarah Katzenmaier

She is the founder of the Cardiac Cats chapter and a survivor of sudden cardiac arrest.

Charlotte Callan

She is the bystander who performed life-saving CPR for over ten minutes during the 2021 Thriller Parade.

Cardiac Crusade

This organization tracks AED locations to assist emergency dispatchers during cardiac emergencies.

The details

Founder Sarah Katzenmaier, who survived sudden cardiac arrest during the 2021 Thriller Parade, is leading the volunteer effort to log AED locations via a mobile app. Volunteers undergo online training to verify the devices, assisting 911 operators who need real-time data to guide residents during cardiac events.

Sarah Katzenmaier suffered sudden cardiac arrest in 2021.
The campaign kickoff event will be held on October 15, 2026.
The mapping campaign concludes on February 14, 2027.

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Deeper Dive

This initiative follows the standard operational framework of the Cardiac Crusade AED tracking program. The effort mirrors a broader national push to increase public access to defibrillators beyond current installed estimates.

Residents can improve local survival chances by volunteering to log AED locations in their neighborhood via the organization's mobile app. This project ensures that if a medical emergency occurs, callers can be immediately directed to the nearest accessible device.

The takeaway

Sudden cardiac arrest is most survivable when bystanders can access and deploy a defibrillator within minutes of collapse. Local residents can play a vital role in public safety by helping to verify the accessibility of life-saving equipment in their daily environments.

What happens next

The Cardiac Cats will host a campaign kickoff event at West Sixth Brewing on October 15, 2026. The volunteer-led mapping project is scheduled to run until February 14, 2027.