<P> Originally , many ambulances used a safety orange cross on a square background of reflectorized white to designate them as emergency units . This logo was used before national standards for Emergency Medical Personnel or ambulances were established . Designed by Leo R. Schwartz , Chief of the EMS Branch , National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ( NHTSA ) , the Star of Life was created after the American Red Cross complained in 1973 that the orange cross too closely resembled their logo , the red cross on a white background , its use restricted by the Geneva Conventions . </P>
where did the star of life come from
created after the American Red Cross complained in 1973 that the orange cross too closely resembled their logo