American Heart Association recognizes the Lexington Fire Department with the Franklin Moosnick Award and kicks off National CPR and AED Awareness Week and Month with update on #LexSaveLives campaign success

LEXINGTON, August 13, 2025— Leaders from the American Heart Association recognized the Lexington Fire Department with their annual Moosnick Service Award today, in recognition of the department’s efforts to increase cardiac arrest survival rates in Fayette County. The two organizations announced jointly that Fayette County has seen a significant increase in bystander CPR response rates since 2023 when they began working together through the #LEXSaveLives initiative. In 2023, only 8 percent of individuals who had a cardiac arrest outside of the hospital received CPR before EMS arrived. That number increased in 2024 to 17 percent.

“We are seeing more bystanders stepping in to perform CPR here in Lexington than ever before, and that is undoubtedly saving lives,” Lexington Fire Chief Jason Wells. “We know that bystander CPR increases cardiac arrest survivability significantly, and we must continue our efforts to teach as many people as possible how to perform this life-saving intervention.”

Now, during National CPR and AED Awareness Week and Month, the Lexington Fire Department and the American Heart Association are encouraging individuals to help continue that upward trend by learning Hands-Only CPR. In 2023, the American Heart Association and Lexington Fire Department co-funded a project to equip each of Lexington’s 24 fire stations with a new electronic CPR Manikin. This helped launch the #LEXSaveLives campaign, which challenges Fayette County residents to join the movement to create a Nation of Lifesavers by learning Hands-Only CPR. The movement, which continues today, invites citizens to stop by any fire station in Lexington to get hands-on practice in learning Hands-Only CPR, which is CPR without breaths. Science has shown that following a witnessed cardiac arrest of a teen or an adult, Hands-Only CPR can be equally effective in the first few minutes of an emergency response.

“Nearly 70 percent of cardiac arrests happen in the home, which means if you’re called on to perform Hands-Only CPR, you will likely be trying to save the life of a family member or friend,” said Andrea Ooten, Executive Director of the American Heart Association in Central and Eastern Kentucky. “We are grateful for the work of the Lexington Fire Department and the progress we have made. However, we know that there is more work to be done. The American Heart Association is thrilled to continue to work alongside the Lexington Fire Department and to recognize them for their commitment to educating our community. We encourage people of all ages to take advantage of the opportunity to stop and practice at your fire station. You’re never too young to learn, and now everyone has access to practice!”

Seven in 10 people in the United States say they feel powerless to act in the face of a cardiac emergency [1]. As a result, less than half of all people across the nation who need this life-saving skill receive CPR from bystanders before professional help arrives [2]. 

“As a registered nurse, I know how important CPR is … it saves lives,” Mayor Linda Gorton said. “Although I’m very proud of the progress we have made as a community, it’s clear that we have more work to do. I’m thankful for the leadership of the American Heart Association, and for the dedication of our firefighters, as we work together to encourage more residents to learn and practice CPR.”

About the Moosnick Service Award:

The Moosnick Service Award was established in 1990 in honor of the late Dr. Franklin Moosnick, a longtime devoted volunteer and Past President of the board of the American Heart Association in Central & Eastern Kentucky. Dr. Moosnick is credited with many accomplishments, including participating in the creation of the CPR program for Fayette County and serving as a co-founder for the Emergency Medical Service of Lexington in 1976.

To learn Hands-Only CPR:

For businesses or groups of ten or more, the Lexington Fire Department will come to YOU and teach Hands-Only CPR. To schedule a class, visit https://www.lexingtonky.gov/public-education-service-request. For a list of Lexington Fire Station locations, visit www.lexington.gov/fire-station-locations. For more information, call 859-231-5662 or email lfd-communityservices@lexingtonky.gov.

On Thursday, June 12, the Lexington Fire Department and the American Heart Association will be featured at the Lexington Legends game. Hands-Only CPR demonstrations will be available around the concourse.

Additional Resources: 

• Bystander CPR | Bystander CPR Infographic (PDF) 
• Hands-Only CPR Resources
• Hands-Only CPR vs CPR with Breaths 
• Cardiac Arrest vs. Heart Attack
• Reducing Disparities for Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest – Community Toolkit: English and Spanish versions available
• Take 90 seconds to learn how to save a life at www.heart.org/HandsOnlyCPR. 
• Download free materials to help celebrate CPR and AED Awareness Week at www.heart.org/CPRWeek.

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About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than one hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public’s health, and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy, and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.

For Media Inquiries:
Meredith Adkins: Meredith.Adkins@heart.org
heart.org and stroke.org