content: UNITED STATES
                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                               Washington, D.C. 20549
  
                                      FORM 144
  
                        NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF SECURITIES
                PURSUANT TO RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
  
  ATTENTION:  Transmit for filing 3 copies of  this form concurrently with  either
  placing an order with a broker to execute sale or executing a sale directly with
  a market maker.
  
  ________________________________________________________________________________
  1(a) NAME OF ISSUER (Please type or print)
  
       Rural/Metro Corporation
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1(b) IRS IDENT. NO.                    |(c) S.E.C. FILE NO.
                                         |
       86-0746929                        |    000-22056
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1(d) ADDRESS OF ISSUER              STREET
  
       8401 East Indian School Road
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1(d)      CITY                       STATE                  ZIP CODE
  
       Scottsdale                        AZ                     85251
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1(e) TELEPHONE NO.
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       AREA CODE           |NUMBERS
                           |
          480              |   606-3886
  ________________________________________________________________________________
  2(a) NAME OF PERSON FOR WHOSE ACCOUNT THE SECURITIES ARE TO BE SOLD
  
       Cerberus Partners, L.P. (a)
  
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  2(b) IRS IDENT. NO.                    (c) RELATIONSHIP TO ISSUER
  
       N/A                                            N/A
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  2(d) ADDRESS                        STREET
  
       299 Park Avenue, 22nd Floor
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  2(d)      CITY                       STATE                  ZIP CODE
  
       New York                         NY                     10171
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  
  INSTRUCTION:  The person filing this notice  should contact the issuer to obtain
  the I.R.S. Identification Number and the S.E.C. File Number.
  
  <TABLE>
  <CAPTION>
                                           SEC USE
  3(a)           (b)                       ONLY     (c)           (d)          (e)                (f)                (g)
  Title of the   Name and Address of       Broker-  Number of     Aggregate    Number of Shares   Approximate        Name of Each
  Class of       Each Broker Through       Dealer   Shares or     Market       or Other Units     Date of Sale       Securities
  Securities     Whom the Securities       File     Other Units   Value        Outstanding        (See instr. 3(f))  Exchange
  To Be Sold     are to be Offered         Number   To Be Sold    (See instr.  (See instr. 3(e))  (MO.  DAY   YR.)   (See instr. 3(g))
                 or Each Market                     (See instr.   3(d))
                 Maker who is                       3(c))
                 Acquiring the
                 Securities
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  <S>            <C>                       <C>     <C>           <C>              <C>                <C>                <C>
  
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  Common Stock    Merriman Curhan Ford &            229,655(a)   $1,460,605.80(c)  22,965,536         Mar. 4   05        OTC BB
                    Co. (b)
                  600 California Street
                  9th Floor
                  San Francisco, CA 94108
  
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  </TABLE>
  
  
  <PAGE>
  
  
  INSTRUCTIONS:
  1.(a) Name of issuer
    (b) Issuer's I.R.S. Identification Number
    (c) Issuer'S S.E.C. file number, if any
    (d) Issuer's address, including zip code
    (e) Issuer's telephone number, including area code
  
  2.(a) Name of person for whose account the securities are to be sold
    (b) Such person's I.R.S. identification number, if such person is an entity
    (c) Such person's relationship to the issuer (e.g., officer, director, 10%
        stockholder, or member of immediate family of any of the foregoing)
    (d) Such person's address, including zip code
  
  3.(a) Title of the class of securities to be sold
    (b) Name and address of each broker through whom the securities are intended
        to be sold
    (c) Number of shares or other units to be sold (if debt securities, give the
        aggregate face amount)
    (d) Aggregate market value of the securities to be sold as of a specified date
        within 10 days prior to the filing of this notice
    (e) Number of shares or other units of the class outstanding, or if debit
        securities the face amount thereof outstanding, as shown by the most
        recent report or statement published by the issuer
    (f) Approximate date on which the securities are to be sold
    (g) Name of each securities exchange, if any, on which the securities are
        intended to be sold
  
  
  <PAGE>
  
                           TABLE I - SECURITIES TO BE SOLD
  
      Furnish the following information with respect to the acquisition of the
  securities to be sold and with respect to the payment of all or any part of the
                  purchase price or other consideration therefor:
  
  <TABLE>
  <CAPTION>
                                                  Name of Person
                                                  from Whom Acquired
  Title of   Date You   Nature of                 (If gift, also give date    Amount of             Date of              Nature of
  the Class  Acquired   Acquisition Transaction   donor acquired)             Securities Acquired   Payment               Payment
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  <S>        <C>        <C>                        <C>                        <C>                   <C>                  <C>
  
  Common      10/07/     (d)                        Rural/Metro Corporation    1,378,931             (d)                  (d)
  stock       2003
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  </TABLE>
  
  INSTRUCTIONS:            If the  securities  were  purchased  and  full  payment
                           therefor   was  not   made  in  cash  at  the  time  of
                           purchase,  explain  in the  table or in a note  thereto
                           the  nature  of  the   consideration   given.   If  the
                           consideration   consisted   of  any   note   or   other
                           obligation,  or if  payment  was  made in  installments
                           describe  the  arrangement  and state  when the note or
                           other  obligation  was  discharged  in full or the last
                           installment paid.
  
  
                TABLE II - SECURITIES SOLD DURING THE PAST 3 MONTHS
  
  Furnish the following information as to all securities of the issuer sold during
  the past 3 months by the person for whose account the securities are to be sold.
  
  <TABLE>
  <CAPTION>
  
                                                                                                 Amount of          Gross
  Name and Address of Seller                         Title of Securities Sold    Date of Sale    Securities Sold    Proceeds
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  <S>                                                <C>                         <C>             <C>                <C>
  
  
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  </TABLE>
  
  <PAGE>
  
  REMARKS:
  (a)  The person  for whose  account the securities  are to be  sold is  Cerberus
       Partners,  L.P.  ("Cerberus").  Stephen Feinberg exercises sole dispositive
       control over all securities of Rural/Metro Corporation (the "Company") held
       by Cerberus. This Form 144 is being filed as a result of an increase in the
       number  of  outstanding  shares of common  stock of the  Company  since the
       filing  of the Form 144 with the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  by
       Cerberus on December 7, 2004, as amended on February 10, 2005.
  (b)  Cerberus may elect to sell  through various executing  brokers from time to
       time.
  (c)  The aggregate  market value is  based on the  $6.36 closing sale price of a
       share of common stock of the Company on March 1, 2005.
  (d)  The shares were acquired from  the Company in exchange for 89,327 shares of
       Series C Redeemable  Nonconvertible Participating Preferred  Stock held  by
       Cerberus.
  
  
  
  
  INSTRUCTIONS:
  See the  definition of "person" in paragraph (a) of Rule 144.  Information is to
  be given not only as to the person for whose  account the  securities  are to be
  sold but also as to all other persons included in that definition.  In addition,
  information  shall be given as to sales by all persons  whose sales are required
  by paragraph (e) of Rule 144 to be aggregated  with sales for the account of the
  person filing this notice.
  
  ATTENTION:
  The person for whose account the  securities to which this notice relates are to
  be sold  hereby  represents  by signing  this  notice  that he does not know any
  material adverse information in regard to the current and prospective operations
  of the  Issuer  of the  securities  to be  sold  which  has  not  been  publicly
  disclosed.
  
  
                                                   /s/ Stephen Feinberg, on behalf
         March 4, 2005                                 of Cerberus Partners, L.P.
     --------------------------                    -------------------------------
         (DATE OF NOTICE)                                     (SIGNATURE)
  
  The notice shall be signed by the person for whose account the securities are to
         be sold. At least one copy of the notice shall be manually signed.
  
       Any copies not manually signed shall bear typed or printed signatures.
  
    ATTENTION: Intentional misstatements or omission of facts constitute Federal
                     Criminal Violations (See 18 U.S.C. 1001).
metadata_documents: [{"type": "144", "sequence": "1", "filename": "ruralmet144mar05.txt", "description": "FM144", "secsgml_size_bytes": 11880}]
text: UNITED STATES
                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                               Washington, D.C. 20549
  
                                      FORM 144
  
                        NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF SECURITIES
                PURSUANT TO RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
  
  ATTENTION:  Transmit for filing 3 copies of  this form concurrently with  either
  placing an order with a broker to execute sale or executing a sale directly with
  a market maker.
  
  ________________________________________________________________________________
  1(a) NAME OF ISSUER (Please type or print)
  
       Rural/Metro Corporation
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1(b) IRS IDENT. NO.                    |(c) S.E.C. FILE NO.
                                         |
       86-0746929                        |    000-22056
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1(d) ADDRESS OF ISSUER              STREET
  
       8401 East Indian School Road
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1(d)      CITY                       STATE                  ZIP CODE
  
       Scottsdale                        AZ                     85251
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1(e) TELEPHONE NO.
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       AREA CODE           |NUMBERS
                           |
          480              |   606-3886
  ________________________________________________________________________________
  2(a) NAME OF PERSON FOR WHOSE ACCOUNT THE SECURITIES ARE TO BE SOLD
  
       Cerberus Partners, L.P. (a)
  
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  2(b) IRS IDENT. NO.                    (c) RELATIONSHIP TO ISSUER
  
       N/A                                            N/A
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  2(d) ADDRESS                        STREET
  
       299 Park Avenue, 22nd Floor
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  2(d)      CITY                       STATE                  ZIP CODE
  
       New York                         NY                     10171
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  INSTRUCTION:  The person filing this notice  should contact the issuer to obtain
  the I.R.S. Identification Number and the S.E.C. File Number.
  SEC USE
  3(a)           (b)                       ONLY     (c)           (d)          (e)                (f)                (g)
  Title of the   Name and Address of       Broker-  Number of     Aggregate    Number of Shares   Approximate        Name of Each
  Class of       Each Broker Through       Dealer   Shares or     Market       or Other Units     Date of Sale       Securities
  Securities     Whom the Securities       File     Other Units   Value        Outstanding        (See instr. 3(f))  Exchange
  To Be Sold     are to be Offered         Number   To Be Sold    (See instr.  (See instr. 3(e))  (MO.  DAY   YR.)   (See instr. 3(g))
                 or Each Market                     (See instr.   3(d))
                 Maker who is                       3(c))
                 Acquiring the
                 Securities
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  Common Stock    Merriman Curhan Ford &            229,655(a)   $1,460,605.80(c)  22,965,536         Mar. 4   05        OTC BB
                    Co. (b)
                  600 California Street
                  9th Floor
                  San Francisco, CA 94108
  
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  INSTRUCTIONS:
  1.(a) Name of issuer
    (b) Issuer's I.R.S. Identification Number
    (c) Issuer'S S.E.C. file number, if any
    (d) Issuer's address, including zip code
    (e) Issuer's telephone number, including area code
  
  2.(a) Name of person for whose account the securities are to be sold
    (b) Such person's I.R.S. identification number, if such person is an entity
    (c) Such person's relationship to the issuer (e.g., officer, director, 10%
        stockholder, or member of immediate family of any of the foregoing)
    (d) Such person's address, including zip code
  
  3.(a) Title of the class of securities to be sold
    (b) Name and address of each broker through whom the securities are intended
        to be sold
    (c) Number of shares or other units to be sold (if debt securities, give the
        aggregate face amount)
    (d) Aggregate market value of the securities to be sold as of a specified date
        within 10 days prior to the filing of this notice
    (e) Number of shares or other units of the class outstanding, or if debit
        securities the face amount thereof outstanding, as shown by the most
        recent report or statement published by the issuer
    (f) Approximate date on which the securities are to be sold
    (g) Name of each securities exchange, if any, on which the securities are
        intended to be sold
  TABLE I - SECURITIES TO BE SOLD
  
      Furnish the following information with respect to the acquisition of the
  securities to be sold and with respect to the payment of all or any part of the
                  purchase price or other consideration therefor:
  Name of Person
                                                  from Whom Acquired
  Title of   Date You   Nature of                 (If gift, also give date    Amount of             Date of              Nature of
  the Class  Acquired   Acquisition Transaction   donor acquired)             Securities Acquired   Payment               Payment
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Common      10/07/     (d)                        Rural/Metro Corporation    1,378,931             (d)                  (d)
  stock       2003
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  INSTRUCTIONS:            If the  securities  were  purchased  and  full  payment
                           therefor   was  not   made  in  cash  at  the  time  of
                           purchase,  explain  in the  table or in a note  thereto
                           the  nature  of  the   consideration   given.   If  the
                           consideration   consisted   of  any   note   or   other
                           obligation,  or if  payment  was  made in  installments
                           describe  the  arrangement  and state  when the note or
                           other  obligation  was  discharged  in full or the last
                           installment paid.
  
                TABLE II - SECURITIES SOLD DURING THE PAST 3 MONTHS
  
  Furnish the following information as to all securities of the issuer sold during
  the past 3 months by the person for whose account the securities are to be sold.
  Amount of          Gross
  Name and Address of Seller                         Title of Securities Sold    Date of Sale    Securities Sold    Proceeds
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  REMARKS:
  (a)  The person  for whose  account the securities  are to be  sold is  Cerberus
       Partners,  L.P.  ("Cerberus").  Stephen Feinberg exercises sole dispositive
       control over all securities of Rural/Metro Corporation (the "Company") held
       by Cerberus. This Form 144 is being filed as a result of an increase in the
       number  of  outstanding  shares of common  stock of the  Company  since the
       filing  of the Form 144 with the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  by
       Cerberus on December 7, 2004, as amended on February 10, 2005.
  (b)  Cerberus may elect to sell  through various executing  brokers from time to
       time.
  (c)  The aggregate  market value is  based on the  $6.36 closing sale price of a
       share of common stock of the Company on March 1, 2005.
  (d)  The shares were acquired from  the Company in exchange for 89,327 shares of
       Series C Redeemable  Nonconvertible Participating Preferred  Stock held  by
       Cerberus.
  
  INSTRUCTIONS:
  See the  definition of "person" in paragraph (a) of Rule 144.  Information is to
  be given not only as to the person for whose  account the  securities  are to be
  sold but also as to all other persons included in that definition.  In addition,
  information  shall be given as to sales by all persons  whose sales are required
  by paragraph (e) of Rule 144 to be aggregated  with sales for the account of the
  person filing this notice.
  
  ATTENTION:
  The person for whose account the  securities to which this notice relates are to
  be sold  hereby  represents  by signing  this  notice  that he does not know any
  material adverse information in regard to the current and prospective operations
  of the  Issuer  of the  securities  to be  sold  which  has  not  been  publicly
  disclosed.
  
                                                   /s/ Stephen Feinberg, on behalf
         March 4, 2005                                 of Cerberus Partners, L.P.
     --------------------------                    -------------------------------
         (DATE OF NOTICE)                                     (SIGNATURE)
  
  The notice shall be signed by the person for whose account the securities are to
         be sold. At least one copy of the notice shall be manually signed.
  
       Any copies not manually signed shall bear typed or printed signatures.
  
    ATTENTION: Intentional misstatements or omission of facts constitute Federal
                     Criminal Violations (See 18 U.S.C. 1001).