When Steve Zorn was in school he was picked on and bullied.
He couldn’t stand it, so he did something about it. He started karate classes. More than 20 years later Zorn can be found teaching others about personal safety during classes he offers through his business, Personal Safety Unlimited.
“My teacher told me the first day I was there that it would take two years for me to be able to defend myself,” Zorn said. “I thought to myself, well that doesn’t help me stop being beat up now.”
Recently, Zorn came up with the idea to offer a program called Kid Escape, which teaches children abduction survival techniques.
“The moves that are taught during the class are natural and instinctive moves children should already know,” Zorn said. “There is no way a child can punch or kick their way away from an abductor.”
The course teaches kids to grip, dip and spin, moves that are similar to the famous stop, drop and roll sequence that firefighters teach children.
“The point of the class is to make abducting a child as difficult as possible,” Zorn said. “John Hall created the program after speaking to children that had successfully fended off an abductor.”
Zorn is one of four certified Kid Escape instructors worldwide and trained with Hall for a day to become an instructor.
Over the last eight to 10 years, Zorn has taught the program, but has not been very active with it until now.
“I connected with John and he gave me suggestions on how to get the word out that this is a program that is offered in the community. People don’t know I’m here and doing it.“ Steve said. “I have preciously done programs for Girl Scouts and the YMCA, as well as many private schools in the county.”
The program is quick and easy, said Zorn.
“Unlike karate where you are learning complex moves in a process, this program teaches kids how to defend themselves quickly by showing them easy steps and moves that work,” said Zorn. “The moves are simple so the kids can remember them. I did a class at a church four years ago and kids there still remember it. It is about giving them skills they can use immediately.”
One of the big themes throughout the program is be non-compliant and verbally express that you are not going to go.
“Some of the things that are taught during the session is how to become dead weight,” Zorn said. “Grab onto things that are in the environment and make it as hard as possible for the abductor to take you.”
Another major part of Zorn’s program is to know your surroundings.
“Awareness is something that will more than likely save someone from being abducted,” Zorn said. “Knowing what are safe places, knowing your environment and just being familiar with what is going on will more than likely help the child.”
Zorn also said that the information taught in the program will probably never be needed, but if it is they will be happy they knew it.
Information on products offered by Zorn can be seen at his website, www.personalsafetyunlimited.com
