An ambulance station is a structure or other area set aside for storage of ambulance vehicles, medical equipment, personal protective equipment, and other medical supplies. Most stations are made up of garage bays or a parking area, normally undercover. In addition to this, stations may also have a crew room, bunk room/living quarters, station office, kitchen area, equipment store, sluice room - cleaning equipment, clean linen store, oxygen cylinder store, and shower facilities.
Some stations are equipped with a fuel pump to refuel ambulance vehicles and vehicle workshops. Larger stations may have a managers office or training rooms. Ambulance staff may be summoned from the station for emergencies by siren, radio or pagers; depending on the station. At times, crews may be required to park up at a dispatch point, away from the station to cover a certain locality. While vehicles are within the station, charging points are connected to keep the vehicles batteries charged appropriately.
In some instances, ambulance stations may be co-located with, or integral to, other emergency services facilities, such as fire stations or police stations, especially where the ambulance service is operated by the same organisation (such as where a fire department operates the emergency medical service).