The Star of Life is a symbol used to identify emergency medical services. It features a blue six-pointed star, outlined by a white border. The middle contains a Rod of Asclepius – an ancient symbol of medicine. The Star of Life can be found on ambulances, medical personnel uniforms, and other objects associated with emergency medicine or first aid. Elevators marked with the symbol indicate the lift is large enough to hold a stretcher. Medical bracelets sometimes use the symbol to indicate one has a medical condition that emergency services should be aware of.
Ambulance motorcycle from Israel's United Hatzalah combine the Jewish Star with the Star of Life.
NHS ambulance in England, marked with Star of Life and the local ambulance service emblem
An ambulance in Kyiv, Ukraine
New Taipei City Fire Department ambulance in Taiwan
Emergency medical services
Emergency medical services (EMS), also known as ambulance services or paramedic services, are emergency services that provide urgent pre-hospital treatment and stabilisation for serious illness and injuries and transport to definitive care. They may also be known as a first aid squad, FAST squad, emergency squad, ambulance squad, ambulance corps, life squad or by other initialisms such as EMAS or EMARS.
Chicago Fire Department paramedics transporting a patient on a stretcher
A drawing of one of Larrey's ambulances volantes
A horse-drawn Bellevue Hospital ambulance in New York City, 1895
A Royal Navy ambulance during World War I