Louis A. Witzeman
Collection of Rural/Metro Corporation Records
Inclusive Dates:
1947-2004
Physical Description:
12 linear feet (Approximately 15,000
items).
Abstract:
Records, 1947-2004. This collection includes
business files; company history materials; materials regarding Rural/Metro
founder Louis A. Witzeman; correspondence; photographs, negatives, and slides
(featuring images of fire fighting, fire damage, fire hazards, fire engines,
personnel, stations, and equipment); photocopies of scrapbooks and news
clippings; audiovisual materials; and memorabilia.
Collection Number:
MS 400
Repository:
University of Arizona Libraries, Special
Collections
University of Arizona
PO Box 210055
Tucson, AZ 85721-0055
Phone: 520-621-6423
Fax: 520-621-9733
URL: http://speccoll.library.arizona.edu/
Historical Note
Rural/Metro Corporation began in 1948 as the Rural Fire Protection
Company-a privately-run subscription fire service serving the unincorporated
area north of Phoenix, Arizona. Louis A. Witzeman founded the company after
watching a neighbor's home burn unchecked because there was no fire protection
available in the unincorporated area where the home was located. In 1951, the
Rural Fire Protection Company contracted to provide fire protection for the
newly-incorporated city of Scottsdale, Arizona. Rural Fire Protection Company
changed the name of its fire fighting operations to Rural/Metro Fire Department
after purchasing Phoenix's Metropolitan Fire Department in 1960. Over the years
the company expanded its activities significantly to include provision of fire
protection for several Arizona cities as well as for cities in several other
states. Additionally, the company expanded its range of operations to include
ambulance service, security patrol service, hazardous materials response
service, and emergency services consulting. The company changed its name to
Rural/Metro Corporation in 1972. Witzeman retired from Rural/Metro in 1978 and
sold the company to his employees through an employee stock ownership plan.
Scope and Content Note
This collection includes business files; company history materials;
materials regarding Rural/Metro founder Louis A. Witzeman; correspondence;
photographs, negatives, and slides (featuring images of fire fighting, fire
damage, fire hazards, fire engines, personnel, stations, and equipment);
photocopies of scrapbooks and news clippings; audiovisual materials; and
memorabilia. Rural/Metro Corporation often received national publicity,
particularly regarding the privatization of fire protection which traditionally
had been a public sector service. Articles appeared in major publications such
as Newsweek, U.S. News and World Report, Reader's Digest, Wall Street Journal,
New York Times, and Los Angeles Times. These articles, as well as many others,
are included in the collection. Additionally, Rural/Metro was featured on the
television programs "60 Minutes" (1978) and "Good Morning America" (2000).
While the "60 Minutes" broadcast is not in the collection, a Scottsdale
Quarterly magazine article describing it is included in the collection. Also,
the Rural/Metro History Project (located in Series 2: Company History) contains
a brief description of the broadcast. The "Good Morning America" broadcast (on
VHS) is included in the collection in the audiovisual series
Organization
This collection is organized into eleven series. Two series contain
subseries: Business Files and Photographs.
It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish
from the owner of the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record,
the author or his/her transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The
user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Arizona Board of Regents for the
University of Arizona, its officers, employees, and agents from and against all
claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of
copyright.
Access Terms
Personal Name(s)
Drinkwater, Herb, d.
1997--Mayor--Scottsdale, Arizona
Witzeman, Louis A., 1924-2004
Subject(s)
Elections--Scottsdale,Arizona--2003
Fire Chiefs
Fire Departments
Fire Departments--Equipment and Supplies
Fire Departments--Maricopa County, Arizona
Fire Departments--Officials and Employees
Fire Departments--Pima County, Arizona
Fire Departments--Southwest
Fire Engines
Fire Fighters
Fire Fighters--Labor Unions
Fire Hose
Fire Prevention
Fire Protection Districts
Fire Sprinklers
Fire Stations
Hydrants
Mayors--Scottsdale, Arizona--Drinkwater, Herb, d.
1997
Phoenix Fire
Department
Privatization
Rural/Metro Corporation--Records and
Correspondence
The Business Files Series is divided into seven subseries.
Accounting and Finance (1947-1987), contains some balance sheets, bank
documents, and board of directors meeting minutes. Contracts (1947-1984),
contains copies of various fire protection and security patrol contracts made
with cities, homeowners associations, and individuals. Legal (1947-1984),
mainly contains legal materials pertaining to dealings with the Arizona
Corporation Commission. Real Estate (1951-1983), contains documents concerning
the company's property holdings. Reports (1961-2003), contains
Rural/Metro Corporation and Scottsdale Fire Department annual reports, as well
as other reports. Sales, Marketing, and Advertising (1948-2002), contains
advertisements, brochures, and press books. Speeches (1969-1996), contains
Louis A. Witzeman's speeches, including drafts, final versions, and
published versions that he delivered to various fire fighting and
privatization-related organizations.
The Company History Series contains material regarding company
anniversaries (twenty-fifth, thirtieth, fortieth, and fiftieth), magazine
articles, company newsletters, and items of historical significance such as
early company postcards and stationery.
box
folder
9
2
Anniversary—25th.
, 1973
9
3-4
Anniversary—30th.
, 1978
9
5
Anniversary—40th.
, 1987-1988
9
6-7
Anniversary—50th.
, 1998
9
8
Elk Lodge Certificate of Appreciation to Scottsdale F.D.
, 1966-1967
This series concerns Louis A. Witzeman, Rural/Metro founder and
long-time company president. Contains material regarding honors bestowed on
Witzeman (Arizona Fire Service Hall of Fame, Scottsdale Hall of Fame, the
National Fire Protection Association Research Foundation Medal),
Witzeman’s 1972 European trip, Witzeman’s 1981 retirement party,
Witzeman’s autobiography, and tributes published upon Witzeman’s
death in 2004.
box
folder
10
12
Arizona Fire Service Hall of Fame.
, 2001
10
13
European Trip.
, 1972
10
14
General.
, 1966-2004
10
15
National Fire Protection Association Research Foundation
Medal.
, 2001
The bulk of the Correspondence Series is composed of general
correspondence. The series also contains subject-related correspondence
regarding such subjects as Scottsdale Mayor Herb Drinkwater, Mark Frazier
(Director of the Local Government Center, the Taxpayer’s Foundation, and
the Sabre Foundation), Station Orders, the Witzeman Center for Privatization,
and the intensely-campaigned 2003 Scottsdale Election where Scottsdale citizens
voted to retain the private fire protection services of Rural/Metro rather than
switch to a municipally-run fire department.
The Photographs Series is divided into eight subseries. Community
Outreach (1963-1972), includes photographs of fire fighters visiting elementary
schools, as well as team photographs of little league baseball teams sponsored
by Rural/Metro. Equipment (1963-1973), contains photographs of basic equipment
used by Rural/Metro fire fighters as well as technical innovations developed by
Rural/Metro such as the “snail” and the “water
tank” (remote-controlled fire fighting machines). Fire Engines
(1950-1979), contains photographs of various fire engines, as well as some
photographs of “plain janes”—new trucks with stripped down
chassis assembled into full-fledged fire engines by Rural/Metro employees. Fire
Hazards (undated), contains photographs of hazards such as piles of cardboard
boxes and leaking chemical drums. Fire Stations (1950-1975), contains
photographs of various stations as well as photographs of potential Paradise
Valley Station sites. Fires (1948-1990), contains photographs of brush and hay
fires, commercial and residential property fires, and vehicular fires.
Miscellaneous (undated), contains miscellaneous photographs, including
photographs of employees in the main office. Publicity (1950-1993), contains
photographs of Fire Chief Robertson, Louis A. Witzeman, training exercises, and
the Scottsdale Station groundbreaking. [Note: Additional oversized photographs
are located in Series 11: Oversized Materials].
This series includes negatives and slides of equipment, fire
engines, fire hazards, fire stations, fires (brush and hay, commercial and
residential property, vehicular), and Rural/Metro publicity. Additionally,
there are microfilm slides of both maps and aerial views of Scottsdale,
Arizona—in the 1970s these microfilm slides were used in microfilm
readers (placed in fire engine cabs) to determine the locations of fires and
other emergencies.
box
folder
17
17
Negatives: Equipment; Pumps and Hoses.
, undated
17
18
Negatives: Equipment; Rescue Equipment.
, undated
17
19
Negatives: Fire Engines; Central Yavapai F.D.
, undated
17
20
Negatives: Fire Engines; Folsom F.D.
, undated
17
21
Negatives: Fire Engines; Hermosillo F.D.
, undated
17
22
Negatives: Fire Engines; Oracle F.D.
, undated
17
23
Negatives: Fire Engines; “Plain Janes.”
, undated
17
24
Negatives: Fire Engines; Rural/Metro.
, undated
17
25
Negatives: Fire Engines; Rural/Metro.
, 1966
17
26
Negatives: Fire Engines; Show Low F.D.
, undated
17
27-28
Negatives: Fire Hazards; General.
, undated
box
folder
18
1
Negatives: Fire Stations; Scottsdale.
, undated
18
2
Negatives: Fire Stations; Unidentified.
, undated
18
3
Negatives: Fire Stations; Unidentified.
, 1952-1969
18
4
Negatives: Fire Stations; West Side Headquarters.
, undated
18
5-6
Negatives: Fires; Brush and Hay (Identified).
, 1952
The Scrapbook Series contains photocopies of six scrapbooks. [Note:
an additional (seventh) scrapbook is located in Series 11: Oversized
Materials]. One scrapbook consists solely of photographs of the Thirtieth
Anniversary Party. The other scrapbooks contain photographs and news clippings
of a general nature concerning Rural/Metro.
The News Clippings Series contains photocopies of news articles
relating to Rural/Metro history. While the bulk of the new clippings are
general in nature, the series also contains clippings on the
intensely-campaigned 2003 Scottsdale Election where Scottsdale citizens voted
to retain the private fire protection services of Rural/Metro rather than
switch to a municipally-run fire department.
The Audiovisual Series includes audiocassette tapes, reel audiotape,
videocassettes tapes (VHS), Super 8 movie film, computer diskettes, and a
slide/audiocassette tape presentation. Of note, the series contains audiotaped
interviews with Rural/Metro founder Lou Witzeman, Rural/Metro attorney Lou
Jekel, and other important figures in Rural/Metro history. Also, the series
contains the March 7, 2000, Good Morning America television broadcast (in VHS
format) concerning Rural/Metro and the Scottsdale Fire Sprinkler Ordinance.
box
folder
22
6
Audiocassette Tapes; No Title.
, undated
22
7
Audiocassette Tapes; Robertson Interview.
, 1996
22
8
Audiocassette Tapes; Rural/Metro History (Lou Witzeman,
Lou Jekel, Jim Stenger, Bob Oden, and Fred Roof).
, 1996
22
9
Computer Diskettes; Miscellaneous.
, undated
box
folder
23
1
Reel Audiotapes; Sprinkler Systems Slide Show Soundtrack.
, undated
23
2-3
Slide and Audiocassette Tape Presentation; Rural/Metro
Fire Sprinkler Tests.
, 1982
23
4
Super 8 Movie; Experimental #21 Pump Lift Operation.
, 1969
23
5
Videocassette Tapes (VHS); Good Morning America
Broadcast—“Fire Sprinkler Ordinance.”
, March 7,
2000
box
folder
24
1
Videocassette Tapes (VHS); Rural/Metro 50th Anniversary
and Music Video.
, 1998
24
2
Videocassette Tapes (VHS); Rural/Metro Fire Department
Banquet 2001.
, 2001
This series includes an identification card, a badge, business
cards, buttons, decals, membership cards, a name tag, patches, a pen light,
pins, and subscriber window signs. [Note: additional memorabilia are located in
Series 11: Oversized Materials].
box
folder
25
3
Arizona Security Guard Identification Card; Louis A.
Witzeman.
, 1978
25
4
Badge; Scottsdale Fire Department.
, undated
25
5
Business Cards; Walter D. Stull.
, undated
25
6
Business Cards; Louis A. Witzeman.
, undated
25
7
Business Cards; Louis A. Witzeman.
, 1988
25
8
Buttons; Miscellaneous.
, undated
25
9
Decals; Miscellaneous.
, undated
25
10
Decals; Thirtieth Anniversary.
, 1978
25
11
Membership Cards; Louis A. Witzeman.
, 1976-1981
25
12
Name Tag; Lou Witzeman Chairman of the Board of
Rural/Metro Corporation.
, undated
