By SCOTT MIMS / Staff Writer

What if you were being attacked and there was no one in the immediate vicinity to help? No one wants to think about that situation, but you’d want to be prepared, wouldn’t you?

The Pelham Police Department is offering free women’s self-defense classes Saturday, Oct. 5 at the Pelham Rec Center from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The public’s response to the planned event has been so great that the first class filled up within 48 hours, said Ainsley Allison, community relations coordinator with the Pelham PD.

“We had such an overwhelming response that we actually added a second class the same day,” Allison said.

PPD is partnering with Impact Martial Arts, the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office and Safe House of Shelby County to offer the courses.

Karen Mitchell, owner and instructor at Impact Martial Arts, is credited with getting the ball rolling on the project.

“She approached us about wanting to offer something like this for the community,” Allison said. “It could be something we offer more of in the future based on the feedback we have received.”

The class will cover very basic techniques that anyone can learn. And the benefits of being prepared can prove invaluable in an unexpected situation.

“We feel like it is vitally important that women feel empowered and confident in being able to defend themselves,” Allison said. “These are skills that we hope they never have to use, but we want to make sure they have the tools that they need should they ever find themselves in a situation where they are under attack.”

It is free to enroll. The only requirement is that participants be at least 18 years of age.

“We are requiring registration; that way, we have an idea of what to expect,” Allison said. “If we find that the [second] class fills up prior to the date, we will start a waiting list.”

There are 150 slots in each class. To enroll, please visit the Pelham Police Department’s Facebook page, click on “Events,” select “Session 2” of the class and click the link.