EG CSD fire was not necessarily a "small" department. I'm sort of surprised by the merger, although I don't live in EG (and thus don't pay too much attention). I'm surprised there isn't a serious push to disband the CSD and have Elk Grove provide its own Fire, Parks, etc...
Maybe this is in expectation of housing going in between Galt and EG over the coming years (although there is a lot of open land in the Consumnes River Preserve).