South Carolina State Certification levels

	This patch is awarded at the completion of the South Carolina Emergency Medical Technician course, Basic level. This course consists of 120 hours of classroom time, 12 hours of hospital training, and a written and skills practical exam. This level of certification is required to be able to perform primary patient care onboard an ambulance in South Carolina. Skills include Oxygen administration, oral airway insertion, suction, Tracheal Intubation, Semi-Automatic Defibrillation, Splinting Fractures, Hemorrhage control, and patient assisted medication administration.
	This patch is awarded at the completion of the South Carolina Emergency Medical Technician course, Intermediate level. This course follows success completion of the EMT Basic course, and adds an additional 48 hours of material. Skills that can be performed in addition to all EMT skills include Tracheal Intubation and I.V. therapy.
	The Paramedic patch is awarded at the completion of the South Carolina Emergency Medical Technician course, Advanced level. This course requires an approximately 18 month long curriculum, and concurrent hospital training, along with ride-along time on an ALS ambulance. Additional skills that can be performed over the Intermediate and EMT level include administration of up to 40 drugs, Intra-osseous Infusions, Cardiac Monitoring, 12 Lead EKG, Pacing and Defibrillation, and Pleural Decompression of the chest.
	The symbol of the STAR OF LIFE, which is used in the United States to indicate a provider of emergency care. This symbol was designed by Leo R. Schwartz, Chief of the EMS Branch of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 1973. The symbol commonly used till that time was the Omaha cross, which is an orange cross similar to the Red Cross. The Red Cross objected to the similarity, and NHTSA investigated and determined that a symbol that could be more easily recognized was needed. In 1977, the Star of Life was registered as a trademark.