The groups also say racism may have played a role in the decision.

They are calling on city officials to explain their decision at a community meeting. The groups are the Firebirds Society and the Northeast Region of the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters.

The company, housed at Fire Department headquarters on Congress Street, is slated to close at 8 a.m. next Friday.

City officials said the closing is part of a plan to cover a $1.2 million gap in the department's budget caused by excessive overtime.

But Ronald Mackey, president of the Firebirds, said closing Engine Co. 5 would reduce coverage for parts of the city and increase response time.

"They are balancing the budget on the backs of people's lives," he said.

Mayor John M. Fabrizi could not be reached for comment Thursday, but Michael Feeney, the city's chief administrative officer, said the city has not received a request from the firefighter groups to discuss the decision to close the fire company.

Firefighter David Dobbs, a member of the Executive Board of the Bridgeport Fire Fighters Association Local 834, said a community forum "is not a bad idea."

He added that the union has proposed dates for next week to meet with the city's Labor Relations Department. The union is the only bargaining unit for fire personnel.

Leaders of the groups say there may be an element of racism in the decision to close the company.

The company provides coverage for the South End, downtown and part of the East End, whose residents are predominantly black and Hispanic, they said.

But provisional Fire Chief Brian Rooney and Feeney denied that, noting there are three other trucks based at fire headquarters.

"The company can be covered the easiest. To take companies in the North End or Black Rock, there is not a company to cover them," Rooney said.

He said he is disappointed with the closing.

"No fire chief wants to see a fire company close. If the resources are not there to support it, there's not much I can do," he said.

Half of the Fire Department's overtime budget is gone, and nine months remain in the fiscal year, which ends June 30, 2006, he said.

The city's plan to close the department's budget gap also calls for demoting four fire marshals and hiring at least 16 new firefighters to cover daily absences and to cut down on overtime. A starting firefighter's base salary is $37,742, Rooney said.

The city will review re-opening Engine Co. 5 after the new firefighters are in place.

Local 834 officials have said they do not believe the plan will wipe out the budget deficit.

They are considering their next move, including possibly seeking a court order to stop the engine company's closing.

Aaron Leo, who covers regional issues, can be reached at 330-6222.