Star of Life

This Star of Life TB has a mission to travel from geocache to geocache anywhere throughout the world, in honor of all EMS and EMT personnel. It would be an honor to visit EMT's the world over, and have pictures taken and posted along the journey...feel free to share a story or two if you so desire.

The Star of Life...You have a right to be PROUD!
Physicians have the Caduceus. Pharmacists have the mortar and pestle.
Emergency Medical Technicians have the Star of Life.
This symbol is recognized by the American Medical Association, and the Advisory Council within the Department of Health and Human Services, and is encouraged to be used to identify Emergency Medical Services. Federal Specification KKK-A-1822D requires that the Star of Life be displayed on all ambulances.

What does it mean?
The six barred cross represents the six system function of EMS. Beginning clockwise, each end of the bar is represented by: Detection, Definitive Care, Reporting, Care in Transit, Response, On Scene Care. It is very much like the chain of survival.

Detection:
The public must recognize there is an emergency or an urgency to a situation that requires immediate medical response. The Emergency Medical Services personnel along with other emergency services personnel provide this information and education.

Reporting:
The person(s) recognizing the situation must have a means of reporting the incident to someone. The most highly recognized system to report to is 911.

Response:
The Emergency Medical Services travels to the situation or incident location.

On Scene Care:
The person or persons involved must receive the appropriate medical attention for their situation.

Care In Transit:
The appropriate care must continue during transport of the patient. This care is designed to stabilize the patient and reduce and/or comfort the progression of the injury/illness.

Transfer to Definitive Care:
Transfer the victim of illness/injury to a higher level.

Historical Perspective... The staff in the center of the symbol represents medicine and healing. According to Greek mythology, the staff belonged to Asclepius, the son of Apollo, the god of light, truth, and prophesy. Asclepius supposedly learned the art of healing from the Centaur Cheiron. But he elicited the wrath of the god Zeus when he started resurrecting people form the dead. Fearful that Asclepius’ knowledge might render mankind immortal, Zeus slew Asclepius with a thunderbolt. Eventually, Zeus restored Asclepius to life, making him a god.

Asclepius is usually shown in a standing position, dressed in a long cloak and holding a staff with a curative serpent coiled around it, an image that Zeus later set among the stars. Worshipers used to sleep in Asclepius’ temples in the belief that Asclepius cured the sick during their dreams.

We as EMT’s should be proud of our symbol. It very much exemplifies the work we do.