Story perspectives

Volunteer Fire Departments Struggle with Soaring Software Costs

12/14/2025

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Summary

Story summary

The Norfolk Volunteer Fire Department in northern Connecticut faces the discontinuation of its incident-tracking software by ESO Solutions, a private-equity-backed company, raising annual costs from $795 to over $5,000.
The department sought alternatives but found ESO Solutions had acquired other tracking options, limiting choices.
Nationally, about 85% of roughly 30,000 departments are volunteer, and rising costs from corporate-owned providers constrain access.

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Story summary

The Norfolk Volunteer Fire Department in northern Connecticut faces the discontinuation of its incident-tracking software by ESO Solutions, a private-equity-backed company, raising annual costs from $795 to over $5,000.
The department sought alternatives but found ESO Solutions had acquired other tracking options, limiting choices.
Nationally, about 85% of roughly 30,000 departments are volunteer, and rising costs from corporate-owned providers constrain access.