In September, Michael Neubert of North Haven, Conn. was going out for a coffee on the Vineyard with his basset hound, Josie, when he went into sudden cardiac arrest. He lost consciousness and crashed his pickup into a parked vehicle by the Newes from America pub in Edgartown.

Mr. Neubert returned to the Island on Friday afternoon to thank the good samaritans, police officers, volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel who saved his life that day. Also in attendance were Josie the basset hound, Mr. Neubert’s son Michael, and his wife and co-founder of their law firm, Deborah Monteith Neubert.

“Needless to say, I’m thrilled to be standing here before you,” Mr. Neubert told the small crowd gathered at the Edgartown Fire Museum. “But I’m really thrilled to meet the folks who saved my life and thank them individually from the bottom of my heart.”

Mr. Neubert does not remember the events of Sept. 14, but after being airlifted to Boston and regaining consciousness, he learned about the heroic actions many took to save him.

On that September morning, two bystanders broke through Mr. Neubert’s car window and pulled him out of the vehicle. Gail Morey, a nurse who happened to be nearby, administered CPR. Off-duty Edgartown detective Michael Snowden happened to be driving by and was the first law enforcement officer on the scene. Fire chief Alex Schaeffer worked with paramedic Haley Krauss to administer an AED defibrillator. Volunteer firefighters arrived to help secure the scene. Josie the basset hound was taken out of the vehicle and calmed and cared for while Mr. Neubert was loaded into the ambulance.

“Some may say these men and women were just doing their jobs,” fire chief Alex Schaeffer said. “That may be true, however when someone’s job involves giving help to those in need on their worst day... when those actions give a family another chance to see a loved one, that job is something that should be recognized.”

Mr. Neubert presented cardiac care awards to eight first responders: Det. Mr. Snowden, ambulance coordinator and paramedic firefighter Brenden Cooney, paramedic firefighter Brian Foster, EMT firefighter Trevor Scanlon, police Sergeant Joel DeRoche, paramedic firefighter Joshua Baker, EMT firefighter Micah Agnoli and paramedic Haley Krauss.

Edgartown police chief Bruce McNamee said success rates of CPR are very low, and Mr. Neubert was the first person he had met who had survived a cardiac event like this. Mr. McNamee thanked Mr. Schaeffer and lauded the seamless collaboration between the police and fire departments.

“This is an example for all of us that we’re never really off-duty.” Mr. McNamee said.