As a safety specialist and a father, Scott Palermo likes to ask parents a question: "What would you be willing to do to keep your children safe?"

"Most parents would say they'd do anything," said the founder and president of Talk About Safety. "So, I ask them, 'Would you be willing to invest an hour of your time to keep your children safe?'"

Parents can do just that when they sign up for a Talk About Safety event with their children. Palermo will offer two sessions, one for youths ages 6 to 12 and their parents at 10 a.m. and one for teens and adults age 13 and up at 11 a.m. Both programs will be held at the Lower Windsor Township building, 2425 Craley Road, Wrightsville, on Saturday, Oct. 21.

Palermo, whose day job is serving as sales manager for a two-way radio company, also operates a martial arts studio in York. He has a black belt in Kenpo karate, and he realized his skill set, combined with the connections to law enforcement he'd made through his sales job, provided the perfect opportunity to start a new organization. Talk About Safety is a 501(c)(3) organization focused on providing information and resources for parents and children.

Topics covered in the October sessions will range from dangers to prevention, instructing participants on ways to get away from threats both in person and in an online setting.

"A couple of my martial arts instructors will work with the kids, showing them ways to attract attention if they need help or how to get away in a dangerous situation," Palermo said. "At the same time, I'll meet separately with the parents, providing additional resources and information so they can better educate themselves on how to protect their kids."

One of the tips Palermo offers is to never shout, "Help!" if approached by a stranger or if you're facing danger. "People don't respond to that," he explained. "They think it's just a kid acting up. I teach kids to say, 'I don't know you!' or 'This isn't my father!' to draw attention and get help."

The Talk About Safety program is being offered free of charge in a partnership with Eastern York Recreation Authority. Advance registration is requested by Wednesday, Oct. 18. To register, visit http://www.easternyorkrec.com. For more information, contact Eastern York Recreation Authority at 717-487-5295 or eyrecauthority@gmail.com or visit https://talkaboutsafety.org.