LCSO, Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce host women’s self-defense class Wednesday

The Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce’s Women in Business committee is partnering with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office to teach a self-defense class on Wednesday afternoon.

The Fort Myers Police Department operates one of the four primary 911 call centers in Lee County, and 2021 saw a significant increase in outgoing, incoming and administrative calls going through that call center compared to the two previous years. FMPD data shows 222,676 calls in 2021, an increase of more than 28,000 from 2020. This is one reason the organizers of the self-defense class say it is needed.

The self-defense class will highlight physical techniques and strategies to help women avoid dangerous situations and emphasize how important it is, now more than ever, to learn how to protect oneself.

Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno says a great deal can be done for public safety when county residents take initiative.

“There’s a reason why Lee County went from one of the six worst [counties] for violent crime in the nation to, now, the third-safest city in the nation,” Marceno said. “It’s because of the men and women here in the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, it’s because of the great residents of this county. I always say, ‘See it, say it and make the calls.’ The residents are calling us more than ever with tips.”

“Self-defense for women, especially, I feel like, regardless of where you live or how safe you think it is, it’s better to be prepared than not,” said Kelly Talamo-Drumm with the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce.

You can register in advance online for the self-defense class at 4 p.m. at X3 Performance and Physical Therapy, located at 14651 Jetport Loop. It’s $10 for Chamber of Commerce members and $20 for everyone else.