The Emergency Medical Care
Symbol
by Arline Zatz
Just as a pharmacist has 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.
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 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. 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 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. Asclepius was 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. 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 Bible, in Numbers 21:9, makes reference to
a serpent on a staff: "And Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on the
standard; and it came about, that if a serpent bit any man, when he looked
to the bronze serpent, he lived.
Each of the six "points" of the star represents
an aspect of the EMS System.
The staff on the star represents Medicine and
Healing.
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:
-
As a means of identification for medical equipment
and supplies for installation and use in the Emergency Medical Care
Vehicle-Ambulance.
-
To point to the location of qualified medical
care services and access to such facilities.
-
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.
-
On EMS personnel items - badges, plaques, buckles,
etc.
-
Books, pamphlets, manuals, reports or other printed
material having direct EMS application.
-
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:
-
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.
-
The shoulder patches and other EMS patches may
be displayed on uniform pockets and the symbol can also be placed on collars
and headgear.
