this post was submitted on 06 Sep 2023
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[–] lolcatnip@reddthat.com 0 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

It used to be common for American ambulances to have red crosses on them, and a lot of Americans still associate the symbol with emergency medical care.

It's not used that way anymore because there's a law (18 USC § 706) basically saying only the Red Cross is allowed to use it.

[–] dustyData@lemmy.world 0 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

It was because the red cross used them in their war time ambulances, rescue boats and medical products during WWI and WWII. But it's not an "anymore", the red cross has always owned the red cross. That's why it's a red cross. The law was a delayed formalism of what was IHL way before due to the US refusal to ratify their signature of the Geneva convention. But my question is genuine because the red cross actually do operate some ambulances in some countries, but those countries are usually involved in a war of some sort. This implies this comic is set in a war zone.