Star of Life
The Star Of Life is one of the most
highly recognized symbols in the world. Most of us associate the star of life
with emergency medical care. The six points of the star represent the six
aspects of the EMS system: Detection, reporting, response, on scene care, care
in transit, and transfer to definitive care. The snake and staff in the center
of the Star Of Life represent Asclepius, the son of Apollo in Greek mythology.
Cheron taught Asclepius how to heal the sick and injured. Zeus, the king of the
Greek gods, worried that Asclepius could make all men immortal with his powers
of healing. To prevent this from happening Zeus killed Asclepius with a
thunderbolt. How and why did this all come together in what we now know as the
Star Of Life?
Leo R. Schwartz, chief of the EMS branch of the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, designed the modern Star Of Life in the 1970’s after complaints
from the red cross that many ambulance companies and other EMS organizations
were using the Omaha orange cross, which was the symbol used by the red cross.
Schwartz’s design was an adaptation of the symbol used by the American Medical
Association. The Star Of Life was registered as a Certification Mark in February
of 1977. The Star Of Life cannot be used by just anyone. Generally you must have
some type of association with emergency medical services. It is most commonly
seen on emergency vehicles, on the uniforms of EMS personnel, and to indicate
emergency medical facilities.