Post Falls honors Trey Buster for CPR that saved man’s life

Trey Buster spent about five critical minutes doing CPR on a man who had collapsed on Fourth Street near Falls Park in Post Falls, long enough for police to arrive, take over chest compressions and keep the emergency response moving until Kootenai County Fire and Rescue reached the scene.

The rescue happened March 29, 2025. The patient, identified only as Richard, suffered a heart attack, became unconscious and was transported to Kootenai Health after life-saving treatment at the scene. Buster was recognized for that response at the Post Falls City Council meeting held May 5 in the City Council Chambers at 408 N. Spokane Street, where the city and police department honored the moment that may have saved a life.

Mayor Randy Westlund and Capt. Mark Brantl publicly praised Buster, and the council room gave him a standing ovation. The Post Falls Police Department created its Humanitarian Award in 2011 to recognize employees and citizens who show exemplary concern for the welfare of others, and Buster’s rescue fit that standard in the most immediate way possible. Brantl told the council that Buster and Richard were now connected because of the rescue, a reminder that the aftermath of a medical emergency can leave two strangers linked by a single decision to act.

The medical lesson was plain. Brantl said the doctor later made clear that without CPR starting so quickly and effectively, Richard would not have made it. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says cardiac arrest is not the same as a heart attack, and that calling 9-1-1, looking for an automated external defibrillator and giving CPR until professionals arrive are the key steps. The CDC also says CPR and AED use within minutes can dramatically improve survival rates.

The American Heart Association says bystander CPR can double or triple a person’s chance of survival, yet only about half of Americans would perform lifesaving CPR. The CDC has also said bystander CPR is provided in only about one-fourth of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest events on average in the U.S. In a growing city like Post Falls, where busy roads and active neighborhoods can put first responders minutes away, Buster’s split-second action showed how much those first few minutes can matter.