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): June 16, 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
                         June 16, 2003.

ITEM 9. REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE

     On June 16, 2003,  Rural/Metro  Corporation,  a Delaware  corporation  (the
"Company"),  issued a press release announcing its preliminary unaudited results
for the fiscal  quarter ended March 31, 2003, and certain other  information.  A
copy of the 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: June 17, 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 June 16, 2003