Knox County, Tennessee Extends Rural/Metro's Exclusive 911 Ambulance Services Contract Through 2013

Rural/Metro Corporation (NASDAQ: RURL) announced today that it has been awarded a second three-year extension of its exclusive 911 ambulance services contract in Knox County, Tennessee. The contract extension was awarded on a unanimous vote this week of the Knox County Commission.

The Knox County contract began in 2002 as a five-year agreement with the option for two three-year extensions thereafter. The latest extension period will begin July 1, 2010 and continue through June 30, 2013. The contract generates annual net revenue of approximately $14.5 million.

Jack Brucker, President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "We are very pleased to continue as the 911 ambulance provider in Knox County and look forward to further building on our record of service excellence. We value the continued confidence demonstrated by Knox County Commissioners in their unanimous decision to extend the contract for another term."

Rural/Metro Ambulance has provided emergency and non-emergency services in Knox County since 1985. Additionally, Rural/Metro Fire Department has met the fire protection needs of customers in unincorporated Knox County for more than 25 years. The Company employs more than 600 medical transportation and fire service professionals in the area who respond to more than 80,000 calls for assistance annually. Rural/Metro is the only ambulance provider in Tennessee to receive national accreditation from the Commission for the Accreditation of Ambulance Services.

Bryan Gibson, Group President, said, "Our longstanding history and commitment to Knox County's EMS system has earned the honor of continuing as the county's exclusive provider of emergency ambulance services. Our employees are dedicated to the health and safety of the citizens we serve and look forward to building on our strength and reputation as the provider of choice."

About Rural/Metro

Rural/Metro Corporation provides emergency and non-emergency ambulance services and private fire protection services in 23 states and approximately 400 communities throughout the United States. For more information, visit the Company's website at www.ruralmetro.com.

SAFE HARBOR PROVISIONS FOR FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

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 collect its accounts receivable, secure new contracts, retain existing contracts, and improve earnings and operating margins. Although Rural/Metro believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct.

Reference is made to a more complete discussion of forward-looking statements and applicable risks that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements ("Cautionary Statements") that include, among others, those identified under the captions "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2007, which is available free of charge on the website of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") at www.sec.gov or on the Company's website at www.ruralmetro.com. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements (or statements that may be attributed to the Company) are expressly qualified by the Cautionary Statements. The Company's forward-looking statements are based on information available today, and it undertakes no obligation to update these statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by the securities laws.

(RURL/G)