Beginning Wednesday, May 26, residents of the Mehlville Fire Protection District will have an unprecedented opportunity to voice their opinions about the fire district’s future.

That’s when the fire protection district will kick off a public engagement program called the Fire District Advisory Committee for Tomorrow’s Emergency Services, or FACTS, which will help chart the district’s future.

The first FACTS meeting will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday in the Engine Room at the Mehlville Fire Protection District’s headquarters, 11020 Mueller Road, Green Park. Before the meeting, starting at 6 p.m., the facility and equipment will be available for residents to view.

FACTS is designed to involve residents in developing recommendations that will provide fire and emergency medical solutions to meet future needs for the entire community. Many people will get this issue of the Call before Wednesday night’s meeting, but if you don’t or can’t attend that meeting, the group will meet two to three times a month until August to study key issues, define the district’s needs and reach consensus on potential solutions.

The district’s finances, equipment, staffing, facilities and other topics decided by participants will be considered at future meetings. At the end of the process, participants will present recommendations to the Board of Directors — Chairman Tom O’Driscoll, Treasurer Dan Ottoline Sr. and Secretary David Gralike — for consideration.

For years, we’ve voiced concerns about the amount of time the Board of Directors has spent in closed session instead of open session.

We’ve very pleased that board members and district officials have agreed to be involved in this process that will allow all segments of the community to be able to have a voice in shaping the district’s future.

We urge all residents to take advantage of this unprecedented opportunity to help guide the future direction of the Mehlville Fire Protection District.

In a time when many government bodies are doing the public’s business behind closed doors, it is refreshing to see Mehlville Fire Protection District Board of Directors members and fire district officials involve the entire community in a process to make recommendations about the district’s future.