EMS and fire crews are using their bodies to form the Star of Life, posting it on social media and tagging the next department to do the same

Scroll through Facebook lately and you may have seen EMS and fire crews twisted into odd shapes in front of their rigs. It’s not a new stretching routine. It’s the Star of Life Challenge and it’s moving from department to department one tag at a time.

What is it?

The Star of Life is the universal EMS symbol on the side of nearly every ambulance in the country. It features a blue six-pointed star with a white border, with the Rod of Asclepius, an ancient symbol of medicine, in the middle. The six points are commonly tied to the stages of EMS care: detection, reporting, response, on-scene care, care in transit and transfer to definitive care.

The challenge asks crews to turn that symbol into a group photo. Three people use their bodies to form the Star of Life: arms out, legs spread and usually one person upside down in the middle to complete the shape. Then you post it.

How it works

It started on Facebook and passes along like most social challenges. A department posts its star photo and tags another department to take it up. That department has to build its own star, post it, and tag someone else.

There’s no fundraiser and no cause attached. It’s just a way for crews to show some personality, have fun and give each other a hard time in the comments.

Join in

1. Grab two coworkers and find a good spot, ideally in front of your rig.
2. Work out your star. It is harder than it looks.
3. Post it on your department’s Facebook page.
4. Tag another department to take the challenge.

Boone Health EMS, Missouri

City of Tallahassee Fire Department, Florida

Big River Ambulance District, Missouri

Burgess Health Center, Iowa

Huntingdon Ambulance Authority, Pennsylvania

Thomson Fire Department, Illinois

Valle Ambulance District, Missouri

Jefferson County 911 Dispatch, Missouri

Mount Union Ambulance, Pennsylvania

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