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Origin of the Star Of Life
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Just as a pharmacists have the mortar and pestle and doctors have
the caduceus, Emergency Medical Technicians have a symbol, its use is
encouraged both by the American Medical Association and the Advisory
Council within the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. The
symbol applies to all emergency medical goods and services which are
funded under the DOT/EMS program.
We see the "Star of Life" constantly, whether it be on ambulances
or uniforms. But, how many realize what this symbol represents and how
it was born? Not too many, judging from the random survey I conducted
after having realized I had no idea myself.
Designed by Leo R. Schwartz, Chief of the EMS Branch, National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the "Star of Life" was
created after the American National Red Cross complained in 1973 that
they objected to the common use of an Omaha orange cross on a square
background of reflectorized white which clearly imitated the Red Cross
symbol. NHTSA investigated and felt the complaint was justified.
The newly designed, six barred cross, was adapted from the Medical
Identification Symbol of the American Medical Association and was
registered as a certification mark on February 1, 1977 with the
Commissioner of Patents and Trade-marks in the name of the National
Highway Traffic Safety and Administration. The trademark will remain
in effect for twenty years from this date.
Each of the bars of the blue "Star of Life" represents the six
system function of the EMS, as illustrated below: The capitol 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
Asclepius who, according to Greek mythology, was the son of Apollo
(god of light, truth and prophecy). Supposedly Asclepius learned the
art of healing from the centaur Cheron; but Zeus - king of the gods,
was fearful that because of the Asclepius knowledge, all men might be
rendered immortal. Rather than have this occur, Zeus slew Asclepius
with a thunderbolt. Later, Asclepius was worshipped as a god and
people slept in his temples, as it was rumored that he effected cures
of prescribed remedies to the sick during their dreams. Eventually,
Zeus restored Asclepius to life, making him a god.
Asclepius was usually shown in a standing position, dressed in a
long cloat, 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. Even though this does not hold any
medical relevance in origin, it represents the magic wand of the Greek
deity, Hermes, messenger of the gods.
The staff with the single serpent is the symbol for Medicine and
Health and the winged staff is the symbol for peace. The Staff with
the single serpent represents the time when Asclepius had a very
difficult patient that he could not cure, so he consulted a snake for
advice and the patient survived. The snake had coiled around
Asclepius's staff in order to be head to head with him as an equal
when talking. The Winged staff came about when Mercury saw two
serpents fighting, and unable to stop them any other way placed his
staff between them causing them to coil up his winged staff.
The Bible, in Numbers 21:9, makes reference to a serpent on a
staff: Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a
pole and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent looked at
the bronze serpent, he recovered.
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 certify 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 or
access to qualified emergency care services. No other use of the
symbol is allowed, except as listed below:
States and Federal agencies which have emergency medical services
involvement are authorized to permit use of the "Star of Life" symbol
summarized 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 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.
Each of the six "points" of the star represents an aspect of the
EMS System. They are:
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Detection
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Reporting
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Response
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On Scene Care
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Care in Transit
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Transfer to Definitive Care
The staff on the star represents Medicine and Healing.
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