History

We’re Building on a Legacy of Care

Pafford Medical Services has proudly delivered high-quality, compassionate emergency care since 1967, when the Pafford family founded Pafford Ambulance in Magnolia, Arkansas. What began as a small, family-run business has grown into one of the nation’s most respected EMS organizations, serving communities across Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Oklahoma.

Years later, the second generation—Jamie, Greg, and John Pafford—assumed leadership of the company. Having grown up in the ambulance industry, they expanded the organization’s scope, adding fixed-wing and rotor-wing air medical services, an accredited dispatch center, and large-scale disaster response capabilities. Today, the Pafford footprint spans more than 100 locations, with a team that responds to over 350,000 requests for service annually.

Our operations include all levels of ground ambulance service, emergency air medical transport, critical care response, and 911 communications—anchored by a commitment to patient-centered care. Pafford’s Emergency Communications Center, MedComm, is recognized as an IAED Accredited Center of Excellence, reflecting top-tier standards in emergency dispatch.

Jamie Pafford-Gresham leads the organization from our headquarters in Hope, Arkansas, and also currently serves as President of the American Ambulance Association, advocating for EMS providers at the national level. Her brothers, Greg and John, lead and oversee ground and air medical operations across Louisiana and Central and South Mississippi.

In 2021, Pafford Medical Services was honored with the Dick Ferneau Career EMS Service of the Year Award by the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, one of the most prestigious recognitions in the EMS profession.

Still proudly family-owned and operated, we remain grounded in the values instilled over five decades ago—treating every patient, partner, and team member like family.

"From the start, we insisted that all our employees treat each other, customers, and patients as if they were a member of their own family." –Carol Pafford, Founder