If you’re shopping for custom challenge coins for Emergency Medical Service workers, you’re probably familiar with the standard logo for the profession. It’s a six-point star, known as the Star of Life, with a serpent on a staff in the center.
Wow, that’s a lot of S for one sentence. Many people might think they know what the serpent and staff are called – a caduceus, a common symbol for medical professionals.
Many people are incorrect. Few know the distinction between a caduceus and a Rod of Asclepius. How to tell the difference? That’s easy -- one snake or two.
It all comes down to the Greek myths involved. Asclepius, according to the mythology, was a healer, the son of Apollo, god of healing. His staff is depicted as a simple piece of wood, with a single entwined serpent.
The caduceus, on the other hand, features two intertwined serpents wrapped around a more ornate staff that also includes a pair of wings. They’re said to represent Hermes (the Roman Mercury), the messenger of the gods and patron of trade.
Now that doesn’t mean there aren’t EMS units out there whose symbol is a true caduceus. But the Rod of Asclepius is far more common.
The Star of Life® is specific to emergency medical services. Created by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, it’s intended to allow immediate recognition of medical personnel at a trauma scene.
Each of the six points of the star represents an aspect of emergency medical response. The top (12 o’clock) position represents Detection. The upper right (2 o’clock) position represents Reporting. Lower right (4 o’clock) stands for Response. The bottom (6 o’clock) stands for On-Scene Care. The lower left point (8 o’clock) indicates Care in Transit. And the final position (10 o’clock) represents Transfer to Definitive Care.
When displayed to identify medical personnel, the Star is always blue. The Rod appears centered, in white.
If you’re considering ordering custom EMS or EMT coins, it’s a good idea to be sure your coin provider knows the difference between a Rod of Asclepius and a caduceus. At WholesaleCoins.com, we do. Just as we know the distinction for fire department coins between the Maltese Cross and the Cross of St. Florian. When the details matter, you can depend on us.
Let us show you how easy it can be to order custom coins for your EMS squad. Call, email or fill out our no-obligation Free Quote form to find out more.
Incidentally, things didn’t exactly work out well for our friend Asclepius. Zeus, fearing the healer would make all men immortal, slew him with a thunderbolt.