what symbol displayed on ambulances was replaced with the star of life in the 1970's
Star of Life Originally, many ambulances used a safety orange cross on a square background of reflectorized white to designate them as emergency medical 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),[2] 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; such usage was restricted by the Geneva Conventions.[3]