The Star of Life The History and Meaning behind the Internationally-Recognized Medical Emergency Services Symbol
A Global Symbol The Star of Life is an internationally-accepted symbol for emergency medical services (EMS). It is prominently displayed on rescue vehicles and worn on personnel. In the United States, it is used in the official logo for the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT).
BEFORE THERE WAS THIS
THERE WAS THIS For years, the “safety orange cross” was unofficially used on ambulances to signify them as emergency vehicles.
However, complaints from the American National Red Cross about the symbol too closely resembling their own nudged the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to adopt the new “Star of Life” – designed by the chief of the EMS branch, Leo R. Schwartz.
Redesigned The new logo was adapted from the American Medical Association’s Medical Identification Symbol and was trademarked by NHTSA in 1977. Since the expiration of the trademark in 1997, the symbol has been used in the logo for the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT).
The Six Points Each “point� represents a task to be executed by emergency personnel.
1. Detection
6. Transfer To Definitive Care
2. Reporting
3. Response
5. Care In Transit 4. On Scene Care
The Rod of Asclepius Widely used around the world as a symbol for medical care, this snake emblem is known as the Rod of Asclepius. In ancient Greek religion, Asclepius was the god of medicine and healing. This symbol is often also referred to as an asklepian. The Rod of Asclepius is often confused with the caduceus, which, from Greek mythology, is the symbol for commerce, not medicine.
Expertly Trained and Prepared The official adoption of the Star of Life as the symbol for emergency medical services (EMS) greatly eliminates confusion and miscommunication on a global level. A prominently worn symbol, such as a cleanly-designed patch on a uniform, signifies authority, skill, and preparedness. In an emergency, recognizable symbols worn by medical personnel is paramount to taking control of a stressful situation.
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Image Attributions All uses of blue Star of Life courtesy of (c) 2006 Philippe Verdy, France through Creative Commons license http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Star_of_life2.svg Slide 2: Ambulance 1 http://www.freeimages.com/photo/652557 Ambulance 2 http://www.freeimages.com/photo/822657 Ambulance 3 http://www.freeimages.com/photo/23643 Slide 7: Rod of Asclepius courtesy of CatherinMunro and Hazmat2 http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rod_of_Asclepius2.svg Caduceus courtesy of Rama and Eliot Lash http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Caduceus.svg
Summary The Star of Life is the internationally-recognized symbol of emergency medical services (EMS). Learn the history and meaning behind this global medical symbol.