Rural/Metro Awarded Ambulance Contract Renewals in Ohio and Kentucky

Business Wire, March 31, 2003

Business Editors/Transportation Writers

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 31, 2003

Rural/Metro Corporation (Nasdaq:RURL) announced today that it has been awarded two renewal contracts to continue providing medical transportation services to Ohio State University (OSU) Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio, and the City of Jeffersontown, Kentucky.

Jack Brucker, president and chief executive officer, said, "As we continue to expand our core medical transportation business, it is also important that we maintain valuable relationships with longstanding customers. Our renewals with OSU and the City of Jeffersontown are the result of our efforts to enhance customer satisfaction while at the same time providing the highest levels of care to our patients."

The OSU Medical Center contract provides an initial three-year period, with one two-year optional renewal, for a total possible term of five years. Rural/Metro has been the designated provider of non-emergency ambulance services to the Medical Center and its affiliates since 1997.

OSU Medical Center is one of the largest healthcare systems in Ohio, providing patient care at two main hospital facilities and more than 35 primary and specialty care sites throughout the state. The Medical Center's Department of Emergency Medicine has been selected as a Center of Excellence by the American College of Emergency Physicians.

Todd Walker, president of Rural/Metro's Mid-Atlantic Emergency Services Group, said, "We are very pleased to continue serving OSU healthcare facilities and view our new contract as an opportunity to further enhance medical transportation services within the community."

Rural/Metro's second contract renewal this month was awarded by the City of Jeffersontown, Kentucky. The two-year renewal extends Rural/Metro's role as the 911-emergency ambulance provider to that city through March 2005. Rural/Metro has been the City's exclusive provider of emergency medical transportation services since 1999.

Susan Brown, president of Rural/Metro's Southern Emergency Services Group, said, "As the exclusive emergency medical provider in Jeffersontown, our team remains committed to the citizens that we serve and to our municipal partners. We look forward to continuing our relationship now and well into the future."

The City of Jeffersontown occupies approximately 32 square miles, just southeast of Louisville, Kentucky. Rural/Metro crews respond to more than 2,500 emergency calls there each year.

Rural/Metro Corporation provides emergency and non-emergency medical transportation, fire protection, and other safety services in approximately 400 communities throughout the United States.

Except for historical information herein, this press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include, among others, the ability to sustain operating cash flow; secure new contracts; retain existing contracts; improve operating margins; and maintain compliance with covenant and other requirements of its credit facility. Additional factors that could affect the company are described in our Form 10-K as amended for the year ended June 30, 2002 under the caption "Risk Factors" in the MD&A section, and other factors as described from time to time in our SEC filings. The company disclaims any obligation to update its forward-looking statements.