By Roger Susanin, Olivia Lank

NORTH COVENTRY, Conn. (WFSB ) -- Connecticut emergency responders save lives every single day, but one North Coventry EMT went above and beyond during a call that really hit home.

North Coventry fire fighters respond to more than 1,200 calls every year.

One recent emergency had special significance.

One of their own was in trouble.

You'll never see heavy boots on her feet or a helmet perched on her head, but everyone within the North Coventry department knows EMT Linda Hodgkins is one of the most valuable members of their team.

“The best part is when you're able to help somebody and it's a good outcome and you meet them on the street and the say, ‘I'm so glad you were there. I’m saw glad I saw you,’” said Hodgkins.

Service is in Hodgkin’s blood.

She's a fourth-generation fire department volunteer who has gone on hundreds of calls, but she'll never forget one recent patient.

“He’s just clutching at his chest and he kept saying it hurt it hurt so bad,” said Hodgkins.

Earlier this month, Hodgkin’s husband Ron, who is also a volunteer with North Coventry Fire, experienced chest pains while he and a team of fire fighters helped out at the recent Christmas in the village event.

“When I got out it was quite painful and I started sweating and I took my jacket and I knew I had some problems,” said Ron Hodgkins.

Ron was surrounded by all of the men and women who are all emergency responders.

His wife showed up within minutes, still Ron took a turn for the worst as she tried to help him into an ambulance.

“It was only two steps away. He took the second step, looked at me and said, ‘I’m going down.’ So, we got him laid out on the stretcher, I felt for a pulse and I said, ‘he doesn't have a pulse,’” said Linda.

Despite her fear, Linda remained calm and started performing CPR on her husband of 35 years.

“I don't think I panicked because I knew we needed to do something to save him,” Linda said.

Within minutes, paramedics arrived with a defibrillator, shocked his heart, and brought him back to life.

“We started CPR again and got a pulse back maybe two minutes after the attack,” said David Robinson, Windham Hospital paramedic.

“It’s a good feeling at the end of the day. Sometimes it doesn't always happen, so when it does it reinforces why we do what we do,” said Bree Eichler, Windham Hospital paramedic.

Emergency responders rushed Ron to Hartford Hospital where doctors confirmed he had suffered a massive heart attack.

After emergency surgery to clear some blocked arteries the family exhaled because Ron had pulled through.

“He’s our Christmas miracle. I mean like we keep saying we don't need presents he is our present,” Linda said.

Ron has a long road ahead but is expected to make a full recovery.

He's back home now and even took time to meet with the paramedics who helped save him.

“Just saying thank you is not enough but that's all you can say,” Ron said.

He is most grateful for Linda who along with his North Coventry Fire Department family likely saved his life by acting quickly in the first few minutes after the attack.

Their love and support means everything to him.

“This time of the year with something like this it really puts things in perspective,” said Ron.

Linda is just happy her family will be whole at Christmas dinner this year.

She says if you want to give them anything this holiday season, go out and get CPR training. It truly is the gift of life.

“If you know what to do you can make a difference, you can save a life and it's so important,” Linda said.