EXHIBIT 99.9


CONTACT:  Liz Merritt, Rural/Metro Corporation
          (480) 606-3337
          Morgen-Walke Associates, Investor Relations
          Jim Byers (investors)
          (415) 439-4504
          Christopher Katis (media)
          (415) 439-4515

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

              RURAL/METRO RECEIVES NASDAQ NOTICE REGARDING LISTING

     SCOTTSDALE,  ARIZ.  (February 26, 2002) - Rural/Metro  Corporation (Nasdaq:
RURL),  a  national  leader  in  ambulance  transportation  and fire  protection
services,  announced  today  that  it  has  received  notification  from  Nasdaq
indicating  the Company does not  currently  comply with certain  standards  for
continued listing on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market.

     Jack Brucker,  President and Chief Executive Officer,  said, "We believe we
have strong arguments for continued listing and are hopeful that the progress we
have made in recent  months will be taken into  consideration.  While this could
potentially  affect  the market  our  common  shareholders  utilize to trade our
stock,  and we regret any  inconvenience  that may cause,  it has  absolutely no
bearing on our ability to deliver the highest  quality  services to our patients
and customers now or in the future."

     Brucker continued,  "As we work diligently to achieve further  improvements
to our  financial  performance,  we remain  focused on serving  the needs of our
customers as we have for more than 50 years. We are a stronger company today and
are fully prepared to  demonstrate  our  achievements  and improve the long-term
value of Rural/Metro for all of our stakeholders."

     The Company today will submit its request for a Nasdaq Qualifications Panel
hearing  to  consider  its  continued  listing.  The  hearing  has not yet  been
scheduled.  Rural/Metro's  common stock will continue to be traded on the Nasdaq
SmallCap  Market  pending a final decision by the Nasdaq  Qualifications  Panel,
which could occur as early as April.

     The Nasdaq Staff Determination notice cited the Company's current inability
to meet  continued  listing  standards  for net tangible  assets,  stockholders'
equity,  market  capitalization,  or net income as set forth in Marketplace Rule
4310(c)(2)(B).  In the event the  Company's  common  stock is delisted  from the
Nasdaq SmallCap Market, the Company believes its common stock would be quoted on
the OTC Bulletin Board operated by the National Association of Security Dealers.

     Rural/Metro  Corporation  provides  emergency and  non-emergency  ambulance
transportation,  fire protection and other safety-related services to municipal,
residential,  commercial and industrial  customers in more than 400  communities
throughout the United States and Latin America.

     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 COMPANY'S ABILITY TO SUCCESSFULLY  MAINTAIN ITS LISTING ON THE
NASDAQ SMALLCAP MARKET, THE COMPANY'S ABILITY TO HAVE ITS COMMON STOCK QUOTED ON
THE OTC BULLETIN  BOARD;  SUFFICIENCY  OF THE COMPANY'S  CASH  RESOURCES AND THE
AVAILABILITY OF ADDITIONAL FINANCING IF NEEDED; THE ABILITY TO SUSTAIN OPERATING
CASH FLOW, SECURE NEW CONTRACTS, RETAIN EXISTING CONTRACTS, IMPROVE EARNINGS AND
OPERATING  MARGINS,  AND ARRIVE AT A LONG-TERM SOLUTION FOR ITS REVOLVING CREDIT
FACILITY AND/OR OVERALL DEBT STRUCTURE.  THE COMPANY DISCLAIMS ANY OBLIGATION TO
UPDATE ITS FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS.