Rural Metro

Rural Metro Corporation (Rural Metro) is a provider of emergency and non-emergency medical transportation services, fire protection and other safety-related services to municipal, residential, commercial and industrial customers in approximately 350 communities throughout the United States.

History
Rural Metro, the second-largest private ambulance provider in the United States, was founded in 1948 by Lou Witzeman, when he became concerned that his neighborhood didn't have fire protection. He pooled together some money, bought a fire truck, and asked his neighbors to subscribe to his company. The company was founded and is still based in Scottsdale, Arizona. As of 2005, it employs over 8,000 people who answer 1.5 million calls for service yearly, from approximately 350 communities in 23 states.

Services Provided

 * Emergency medical transportation;
 * Non-emergency general medical transportation to healthcare facilities and health management organizations;
 * Fire protection services, including community, airport, industrial and wildland specialties; and,
 * Emergency training services to private and commercial enterprise.

Mission Statement
To accomplish our mission, Rural/Metro:
 * Provides the most proficient levels of health and safety services possible.
 * Makes compassion and service commitment a benchmark of our success.
 * Is an indispensable, responsive and reliable partner to our customers and the communities we serve.
 * Operates competitively in a multinational marketplace as an innovator of emergency and non-emergency services.
 * Is an innovator in specialty safety and fire protection services.
 * Works within the communities we serve to build trust and promote the well-being of the citizens.
 * Builds and maintains a solid long-term financial platform on which the company will grow.
 * Improves business and clinical processes in a changing healthcare environment.
 * Values diversity and demonstrates sensitivity to individual differences; we respect each other.

Related Information
Rural Metro also owns Southwest Ambulance of Arizona. It, however, no longer manages Medstar in Fort Worth.