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?
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 Asclepias who, according to Greek mythology, was the son of
Apollo (god of light, truth and prophecy). Supposedly Asclepias learned the art
of healing from the centaur Cheron; but Zeus - king of the gods, was fearful
that because of the Asclepias knowledge, all men might be rendered immortal.
Rather than have this occur, Zeus slew Asclepias with a thunderbolt. Later,
Asclepias was worshiped 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.
Asclepias was usually shown in a standing
position, dressed in a long clock, 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 diety,
Hermes, messenger of the gods.
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.
Each of the six "points" of the star
represents an aspect of the EMS System.
They are:
Detection
Reporting
Response
On Scene Care
Care In Transit
Transfer to Definitive Care
The staff on the star represents Medicine and
Healing.