The ambulance was recently gifted to Hato Hone St John by the Cleveland Charitable Foundation.
Les and Margaret Cleveland established the Cleveland Charitable Foundation in 1980 to support an array of projects from arts to emergency services in Dunedin and the Otago region.
Mr Cleveland died in May 2013 and the new ambulance has been dedicated in his memory.
The Generation 4 ambulance is the latest model in the St John fleet of emergency ambulances.
It is fitted with modern equipment such as a power-load electric stretcher and stair carry chair, designed to make it easier and safer to move patients in and out of the vehicle.
In a statement, St John coastal Otago area operations manager Doug Third said the new ambulance would work as part of a vital network of emergency vehicles serving Dunedin residents and surrounding communities.
"As of the end of July, this vehicle has attended over 195 emergency incidents, already making a meaningful difference in people’s lives."
The types of incidents the ambulance has attended include falls, motor vehicle crashes and heart problems.
"Thank you to the Cleveland Charitable Foundation for their generosity," he said.
St John South Island fundraising manager and national manager gifts in wills Debbie Zwies said the donation would have a lasting impact on the lives of others.
She was grateful to Mrs Cleveland for her thoughtful decision to support St John.
"Les’ dedication to and passion for his community continues to be felt throughout the region today — and now in the form of this life-changing vehicle."
The ambulance was a "beacon of hope" for those in their time of need and would provide lifesaving care, bring comfort and offer essential support when it mattered most, she said.
"Each journey this vehicle takes is a testament to both Margaret and Les, and their extraordinary spirit of kindness, community and care." —Allied Media
