The mayor said fire personnel sick days and vacation time, which must be covered by other firefighters on overtime, are projected to trigger a $2 million budget shortfall at the end of the fiscal year if steps are not taken to stem the red ink.

He also said the city firefighters' union rejected other options that could have saved the money.

Still, Fabrizi stressed that closing the company — based at the Congress Street headquarters — will not have a negative effect on public safety or increase the average response time of four minutes.

"Firefighters have gone on a public relations campaign and made out like the sky is falling. We wanted to give out the facts," the mayor said. "We will be over budget and who will pick up the cost — the overburdened taxpayer."

No firefighters will be laid off by the company's closing; Engine 5 personnel will be assigned to other fire companies.

Robert Whitbread, president of Bridgeport Fire Fighters Association Local 834, said Fabrizi refuses to acknowledge that closing an engine company poses a danger to the public.

"Engine 5 went to three fires Thursday [before the station closed Friday]. On two of them, they were the first there," Whitbread said. "My hope is this does not impact anyone, but the city is still trying to do more with less"

The firefighter leader disputed the mayor's contention that vacation, sick and injury time is any higher at the Fire Department than other major municipal departments. "Until they tell me it's higher than anyone else, the statement does not mean much. The bottom line is we don't sit in an office. We go to dangerous situations," Whitbread said.

Firefighters receive unlimited sick and injury time under their union contract.

Fabrizi, flanked by provisional Fire Chief Brian Rooney at a Friday afternoon press briefing, placed most of the blame for closing Engine 5 on firefighters.

He said under the union contract, the city must have 65 firefighters on duty for each 12-hour shift.

But because, on average each day, 25 percent of those shifts' personnel call in sick or are on vacation, the city has to pay other firefighters overtime to fill out the roster.

Fabrizi said the city budgeted $2 million for overtime for this fiscal year. But recent projections show if the absentee rate continues, overtime will exceed $4 million by June 30, when the fiscal year ends.

By eliminating Engine 5, the city is now obligated to post 61 firefighters on each 12-hour shift. That's enough of a reduction to cut projected overtime by $2 million, the mayor said.

Fabrizi said he asked the union to allow him to either close any fire company on days that overtime is high, go below contracted staffing levels or pay regular time for overtime work, but all three options were rejected.

"We would like to keep this company and not close. If we can, we will get back on line sooner than anticipated," the mayor said.

City officials hope that the projected overtime deficit will stabilize by March, allowing Engine 5 to reopen.

Rooney said public safety would not be jeopardized. "We have a highly dedicated force out there who will perform regardless of the reduction," he said.

Fabrizi said he does not believe insurance rates for properties in area protected by Engine 5 will rise because of the closure. Four other engine companies are also based at headquarters.

Whitbread said Fabrizi's offer to go under minimum staffing levels was rejected because fire companies would still be closed.

According to the city, an assistant fire chief paid overtime costs $577 per shift, and a firefighter paid overtime costs $379 per shift. The department employs 318 firefighters and plans to hire 16 more by next year.

Bill Cummings, who covers regional issues, can be reached at 330-6230.