SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934


         Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): May 20, 2003


                             RURAL/METRO CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


                                    DELAWARE
                 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)


        0-22056                                            86-0746929
(Commission File Number)                       (IRS Employer Identification No.)


                          8401 East Indian School Road
                               Scottsdale, Arizona
                                      85251
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)
                                   (Zip Code)


                                 (480) 994-3886
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

     (c)  EXHIBITS       DESCRIPTION
          --------       -----------

            99.1         Press Release of Rural/Metro Corporation, dated
                         May 20, 2003.

ITEM 9. REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE

     On May 20,  2003,  Rural/Metro  Corporation,  a Delaware  corporation  (the
"Company"),  issued a press release  announcing that it has postponed its fiscal
2003 third-quarter  announcement  scheduled for Wednesday,  May 21, 2003. On May
15,  2003,  the  Company  filed a Form 8-K with the SEC  announcing  the need to
increase its  allowance  for Medicare,  Medicaid and  contractual  discounts and
doubtful  accounts  in the  range of $35 to $45  million.  The  Company  has now
determined  that  the  charge  will  require  a  restatement  of  its  financial
statements of prior years.  A copy of the May 20, 2003 release is filed herewith
as Exhibit 99.1.

     The Registrant is making this disclosure  under Item 12 of Form 8-K, but in
accordance  with  SEC  Release  33-8216,  it is set  forth  under  Item  9.  The
information in this Form 8-K, including the exhibits,  shall not be deemed to be
"filed" for purposes of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange Act"), or otherwise subject to the liabilities  thereof,  nor shall it
be deemed to be  incorporated  by reference in any filing under the Exchange Act
or  under  the  Securities  Act of  1933,  as  amended,  except  to  the  extent
specifically provided in any such filing.

                                    SIGNATURE

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                        RURAL/METRO CORPORATION


Date: May 21, 2003                      By: /s/ John S. Banas III
                                            ------------------------------------
                                            John S. Banas III
                                            Senior Vice President

                           CURRENT REPORT ON FORM 8-K

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


EXHIBIT NO.         EXHIBIT
-----------         -------

   99.1             Press Release of Rural/Metro Corporation, dated May 20, 2003