In just 48 hours, a community-driven public safety initiative proved its lifesaving power. On November 15, 2024, Alexandria Police Officer Whitney Buerger used a newly installed Avive Connect AED from her police cruiser to revive a man in sudden cardiac arrest just two days after the devices were deployed across Northern Kentucky law enforcement agencies.
An AED is an “automated external defibrillator.”
The rescue marked the first save from a project launched by the Rotary Clubs of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, in partnership with St. Elizabeth Healthcare and The Christ Hospital Health Network, to equip every regional police cruiser with an Avive AED.
A survivor saving another
When Officer Buerger arrived at Matt’s home and found him collapsed in his living room, she instinctively grabbed the new AED from her cruiser, despite not yet having received formal training on the device. Matt’s partner, Jasmine, and her mother had already begun CPR. Within 52 seconds of powering on the Avive AED, Officer Buerger placed the pads, and 26 seconds later, the device delivered a lifesaving shock. Matt regained a pulse before EMS arrived and is now home with his partner and children.
Remarkably, Officer Buerger is herself a sudden cardiac arrest survivor, having overcome the life-threatening emergency as a teenager.
“The AED is more than just compressions – it’s advising the shock, it’s telling us to keep going, it’s letting us know we’re doing the right thing,” said Officer Buerger. “This time, I got to give someone else the same second chance I once had.”
A mission born from heartbreak
The initiative to equip Northern Kentucky officers with AEDs began in January 2023 when Steve King, the then-President of the Rotary Club of Cincinnati, witnessed NFL player Damar Hamlin’s on-field cardiac arrest. Days later, a scheduled meeting with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office shifted from discussing drone programs to tackling the critical gap in immediate cardiac response and how law enforcement officers, often the first on scene, could play a pivotal role.
Josh Vogel, a member of Rotary and Project Heart Restart, reached out to Garren Colvin, CEO of St. Elizabeth Healthcare, for help meeting the Sheriff’s Office’s AED quantity requests. Within an hour, Garren responded and later pledged support from St. Elizabeth. With additional partnership and support from Christ Hospital, the organizations were able to provide funding for the purchase of 168 Avive Connect AEDs for 38 law enforcement agencies across six Northern Kentucky counties. Deployment was completed in November 2024.
Proof that partnerships save lives
“This project shows what’s possible when law enforcement, healthcare, and community leaders work together,” said Colvin. “It only took two days to deploy the AEDs and make a difference between life and death in our community.”
From the leadership of local Rotary Clubs to the critical partnerships with regional hospitals and
healthcare providers, the Northern Kentucky AED program represents a remarkable collaboration. What began as a response to tragic loss quickly evolved into a comprehensive, community-driven initiative. Through generous funding, swift coordination, and the unwavering support of law enforcement agencies, hundreds of life-saving AEDs were deployed across six counties. The result: a network of first responders better equipped to save lives in moments that matter most. The speed and scale of the program’s success, moving from tragedy to coordinated action, and from action to real-life survival, has exceeded all expectations and set a powerful example for communities everywhere.
“This remarkable chain of events is exactly why we’ve built Avive – to equip everyday heroes with the tools they need to save lives.” says Avive CEO and Co-Founder Sameer Jafri. “Just two days after deployment, Officer Buerger’s swift and courageous response shows how important it is to have AEDs in the hands of law enforcement across the country. This rescue is also a model example of what’s possible when civic leaders, healthcare systems, and public safety unite around a shared mission. We’re proud to be part of this transformative initiative in Northern Kentucky.”