http://www.artexgroup.net/ | The star of life has been a symbol of safety and care worldwide for years.

1. The History and Meaning behind
the Internationally-Recognized
Medical Emergency Services Symbol
The Star of Life

3. A Global Symbol
The Star of Life is an
internationally-accepted
symbol for emergency medical
services (EMS). It is prominently
displayed on rescue vehicles
and worn on personnel.
In the United States, it is used in
the official logo for the
National Registry of Emergency
Medical Technicians (NREMT).

4. BEFORE THERE WAS THIS
THERE WAS THIS
For years, the “safety orange cross” was
unofficially used on ambulances to signify
them as emergency vehicles.
However, complaints from the American
National Red Cross about the symbol too
closely resembling their own nudged the
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) to adopt the new
“Star of Life” – designed by the chief of the
EMS branch, Leo R. Schwartz.

5. The new logo was adapted
from the American Medical
Association’s Medical
Identification Symbol and
was trademarked by NHTSA
in 1977.
Since the expiration of the
trademark in 1997, the
symbol has been used in the
logo for the National Registry
of Emergency Medical
Technicians (NREMT).
Redesigned

6. The Six Points
Each “point” represents a task to be executed by emergency personnel.
1. Detection
2. Reporting
3. Response
4. On Scene Care
5. Care In Transit
6. Transfer To Definitive Care

7. The Rod of Asclepius
Widely used around the world as a symbol for
medical care, this snake emblem is known as
the Rod of Asclepius.
In ancient Greek religion, Asclepius was the god
of medicine and healing. This symbol is often
also referred to as an asklepian.
The Rod of Asclepius is often
confused with the caduceus,
which, from Greek mythology,
is the symbol for commerce,
not medicine.

8. Expertly Trained and Prepared
The official adoption of the Star of
Life as the symbol for emergency
medical services (EMS) greatly
eliminates confusion and
miscommunication on a global
level.
A prominently worn symbol, such as
a cleanly-designed patch on a
uniform, signifies authority, skill, and
preparedness.
In an emergency, recognizable
symbols worn by medical personnel
is paramount to taking control of a
stressful situation.

9. Contact Us
Delivering exceptional quality and
service, Artex Group is your
ultimate design and manufacturing
resource for custom patches.
Call 1-866-845-1042 or visit
www.artexgroup.net to learn more
about Artex Group’s services.

10. All uses of blue Star of Life courtesy of (c) 2006 Philippe Verdy, France
through Creative Commons license
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Star_of_life2.svg
Slide 2:
Ambulance 1
http://www.freeimages.com/photo/652557
Ambulance 2
http://www.freeimages.com/photo/822657
Ambulance 3
http://www.freeimages.com/photo/23643
Slide 7:
Rod of Asclepius courtesy of CatherinMunro and Hazmat2
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rod_of_Asclepius2.svg
Caduceus courtesy of Rama and Eliot Lash
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Caduceus.svg
Image Attributions

11. Summary
The Star of Life is the internationally-recognized symbol
of emergency medical services (EMS). Learn the history
and meaning behind this global medical symbol.