Emergency workers and safety advocates united to celebrate EMT Day at City Hall.

People were given tips about life-saving CPR methods, taken on tour inside an ambulance and signed a petition in support of legislative changes designed to improve road safety at the event yesterday.

Bermuda Hospitals Board emergency workers, St John Ambulance, the Bermuda Road Safety Council, The Royal Gazette’s road safety campaign Drive for Change and partners A Piece of the Rock, the Royal Bermuda Regiment and Home Safe Bermuda all took part.

It was organised by Darius Richardson, an emergency medical technician and member of the Bermuda Road Safety Council.

Mr Richardson said: “Most of the time people only get to see us in traumatic situations but today they can meet us, get to know us. When you call 911 you have a whole lot of people listening out and who are involved.

“This event should also remind people to be safe, don’t drink and drive and don’t speed — we see the reality of what happens to people who do.”

Kelly Pitcher, nurse educator at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, gave CPR demonstrations.

She said: “CPR is easy to learn. We are highlighting the America Heart Association’s campaign called Hands Only CPR. If someone is unconscious, you pat them on the chest and say, ‘Hey, hey, hey are you OK?’ and call 911, then place your hands on the centre of their chest and push hard and fast until help comes.

“We also offer full CPR training at the hospital”

A spokeswoman for Drive for Change said: “It is important that Bermuda’s road safety advocates were invited to be a part of EMT Day as road crashes are the country’s biggest cause of injury and death not associated with illness.

“We all united in encouraging the public to stay safe on the roads and to support meaningful change including speed cameras and investment in road training.”