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The Blue "Star of Life" -- The Emergency Medical Care Symbol

Just as pharmacists have the mortar and pestle and doctors have the caduceus, Emergency Medical Technicians have a symbol. Both the American Medical Association and the Advisory Council within the Department of Health, Education and Welfare encourage its use. The symbol applies to all emergency medical goods and services that are funded under the DOT/EMS (Department of Transportation/Emergency Medical Service) program.

We see the "Star of Life" constantly, whether it is on ambulances or uniforms. However, how many realize what this symbol represents and how it was born?

The "Star of Life" was created after the American National Red Cross, in 1973, complained that they objected to the common use of an Omaha orange cross on a square background of reflecting white. This clearly imitated the Red Cross symbol. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigated and felt the complaint was justified.

Leo R. Schwartz, Chief of the EMS Branch of NHTSA, designed the "Star of Life".
The newly designed, six barred cross, was adapted from the Medical Identification Symbol of the American Medical Association. It was registered as a certification mark on February 1, 1977 with the Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks in the name of the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration.

Each of the bars of the blue "Star of Life" represents the six-system function of the Emergency Medical Service (EMS). The capital letter "R" enclosed in the circle on the right represents the fact that the symbol is a "registered" certification.
The snake and staff in the center of the symbol portray the staff of Asclepius, the ancient Greek god of medicine and healing. Asclepius is usually shown in a standing position, dressed in a long cloak, holding a staff with a serpent coiled around it. The staff has since come to represent medicine's only symbol.

In the Caduceus, used by physicians and the Military Medical Corp., the staff is winged and has two serpents intertwined. Although this does not hold any medical relevance in origin, it represents the magic wand of the Greek deity, Hermes, messenger of the gods.

Who may use the "Star of Life" symbol?

NHTSA has exclusive rights to monitor its use throughout the United States. Its use on emergency medical vehicles certifies that such vehicles meet the U.S. Department of Transportation standards and certifies that the emergency medical care personnel who use it have been trained to meet these standards. Its use on road maps and highway signs indicates the location of or access to qualified emergency care services. No other use of the symbol is allowed, except as listed below:

States and Federal agencies that have emergency medical service involvement are authorized to permit use of the "Star of Life" symbol as follows:

1. As a means of identification for medical equipment and supplies for installation and use in the Emergency Medical Care Vehicle-Ambulance.

2. To point to the location of qualified medical care services and access to such facilities.

3. For use on shoulder patches worn only by personnel who have satisfactorily completed DOT training courses or approved equivalents, and for persons who by title and function, administer, directly supervise, or participate in all or part of National, State, or community EMS programs.

4. On EMS personnel items - badges, plaques, buckles, etc.

5. Books, pamphlets, manuals, reports or other printed material having direct EMS application.

6. The "Star of Life" symbol may be worn by administrative personnel, project directors and staff, councils and advisory groups. If shoulder patches are worn, they should be a plain blue "Star of Life" on a white square or round background. The function, identifying letters or words should be printed on bars and attached across the bottom separately. The edges of the basic patch and functional bars are to be embroidered.

Special function identification and physical characteristics must be adhered to when applying the "Star of Life" to personal items, as follows:

a) Administrative and dispatcher personnel must use a silver colored edge, and the staff of Asclepius should be with a silver colored serpent. These items do not need a white background.

b) The shoulder patches and other EMS patches may be displayed on uniform pockets and the symbol can also be placed on collars and headgear.

 


"THE STAR OF LIFE"

Each of the six "points" of the star represents an aspect of the EMS System.

They are:

1. Detection
2. Reporting
3. Response
4. On Scene Care
5. Care In Transit
6. Transfer to Definitive Care

The staff on the star represents Medicine and Healing.


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