Northern Arizona VA expands ambulance services to meet growing needs of area Veterans

Photo: Northern Arizona VA Health Care System’s two ambulances parked outside the Bob Stump VA Medical Center in Prescott, Arizona. (Kirk Wright/NAVAHCS)

The Northern Arizona VA Health Care System (NAVAHCS) has announced an expansion of ambulance services to meet the growing need for timely, high-quality medical transportation for Veterans across the region.

On July 24, the health care system began using a VA-operated non-emergency ambulance to build on their existing medical transportation services, with plans to deploy a second ambulance later this year. This in-house ambulance program works alongside VA’s contracted community partners to deliver faster and more reliable medical transportation for local Veterans.

Photo: Northern Arizona VA Health Care System executive leadership and paramedic staff celebrate the launch of their new VA-operated non-emergency ambulance service at the Bob Stump VA Medical Center in Prescott on July 24, 2026. (Kirk Wright/NAVAHCS)

“Expanding ambulance services ensures Veterans can get to the right place, at the right time, for the care they need,” said Steve Sample, NAVAHCS Executive Director. “This investment strengthens coordination across our facilities and helps us deliver faster, safer, and more reliable, non-emergency transportation for Veterans in the region.”

While the facility-owned ambulances cannot be used for 911 emergency calls, they can be used for transporting Veterans between NAVAHCS and other medical facilities either locally or as far as Phoenix and Tucson.

The brand-new ambulances are stationed in Prescott and operated by teams of VA paramedics.

Photo: Northern Arizona VA Health Care System’s paramedic staff pose outside one of the facility’s brand-new ambulances on July 24, 2026. (Kirk Wright/NAVAHCS)

“With our paramedics staffing these emergency vehicles, we’re able to offer Veterans and other medical personnel smoother handoffs and a stronger continuity of care from start to finish,” said Norman Gray, NAVAHCS Paramedic Supervisor. “It helps ensure that the Veterans we serve experience consistent, coordinated care every step of the way.”

The ambulance service will initially operate during peak transport hours Monday through Friday, with community ambulances continuing to provide coverage during off-hours or whenever additional support is needed.

In addition to serving Veterans, the new ambulance service can support VA’s Fourth Mission — serving as a federal resource for the community during community-wide disasters.