Wall Street has found a new source of profits: rural volunteer fire departments.

A New York Times report, published earlier in December, outlines how private equity firms are attempting to cash in on public safety systems, which keep the revenue flowing thanks to tax dollars. According to The Times, volunteer fire departments make up 85% of the nearly 30,000 departments in America.

One company, ESO Solutions, is backed by the private equity firm Vista Equity Partners. It is “one of many companies aggressively investing in public safety systems, where tax dollars provide a steady source of revenue,” according to The New York Times. ESO serves approximately 20,000 of the 30,000 fire departments in America, the outlet reported. The two other biggest software suppliers are ImageTrend and First Due, both of which are reportedly funded by private equity. (RELATED: Wall Street Vampires Are Sucking The Joy (And Money) Out Of Youth Sports)

Other companies, according to The Times, “have come to dominate the supply of

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