Lightning Safety
All of us have experienced thunderstorms and lightning. Many of us may be unaware of some simple safety precautions that we can take to avoid injury, death, or damage to our lives and property.
All of this information comes from the National Lightning Safety Institute:
Lightning can strike out of a clear blue sky! This is because a storm might be several miles away from you, but lightning can still strike in your area. When you can hear thunder or see lightning, then there is a potential of lightning striking near you. Here are some personal lightning safety tips from the National Lightning Safety Institute:
Safer Locations during Thunderstorms and Locations to Avoid
- No place is absolutely safe from the lightning threat; however, some places are safer than others.
- Large enclosed structures (substantially constructed buildings) tend to be much safer than smaller or open structures.
- The risk for lightning injury depends on whether the structure incorporates lightning protection, construction materials used, and the size of the structure (see NFPA 780, Appendix E & H).
- In general, fully enclosed metal vehicles such as cars, trucks, buses, vans, fully enclosed farm vehicles, etc. with the windows rolled up provide good shelter from lightning. Avoid contact with metal or conducting surfaces outside or inside the vehicle.
AVOID being in or near:
High places and open fields, isolated trees, unprotected gazebos, rain or picnic shelters, baseball dugouts, communications towers, flagpoles, light poles, bleachers (metal or wood), metal fences, convertibles, golf carts, water (ocean, lakes, swimming pools, rivers, etc.).
When inside a building AVOID:
Use of the telephone, taking a shower, washing your hands, doing dishes, or any contact with conductive surfaces with exposure to the outside such as metal door or window frames, electrical wiring, telephone wiring, cable TV wiring, plumbing, etc.
Safety Guidelines for Individuals
Generally speaking, if an individual can see lightning and/or hear thunder he/she is already at risk. Louder or more frequent thunder indicates that lightning activity is approaching, increasing the risk for lightning injury or death. If the time delay between seeing the flash (lightning) and hearing the bang (thunder) is less than 30 seconds, the individual should be inside, or seek a safer location (see Safer Locations during Thunderstorms and Locations to Avoid). Be aware that this method of ranging has severe limitations in part due to the difficulty of associating the proper thunder to the corresponding flash.
High winds, rainfall, and cloud cover often act as precursors to actual cloud-to-ground strikes notifying individuals to take action. Many lightning casualties occur in the beginning, as the storm approaches, because people ignore these precursors. Also, many lightning casualties occur after the perceived threat has passed. Generally, the lightning threat diminishes with time after the last sound of thunder, but may persist for more than 30 minutes. When thunderstorms are in the area but not overhead, the lightning threat can exist even when it is sunny, not raining, or when clear sky is visible.
When available, pay attention to weather warning devices such as NOAA weather radio and/or credible lightning detection systems; however, do not let this information override good common sense.
This website offers safety information for almost every circumstance; hikers, indoor pools, outdoor pool safety, boating, outdoor workers, the NCAA Sports Medicine Handbook Lightning Safety Guidelines, golfers, large groups, etc.
If you have ever been in your vehicle during a thunderstorm, and had lightning strike nearby, you might have wondered…..are you safe? What steps should you take to be safe? Learn more, and see some photos of a vehicle struck by lightning.
The National Weather Service publication Storm Data recorded 3,239 deaths and 9,818 injuries from lightning strikes between 1959 and 1994. Only flash floods and river floods cause more weather-related deaths. But according to Dr. Elisabeth Gourbière of the Electricité de France, Service des Etudes Médicales, only 20 percent of lightning victims are immediately struck dead. Still, many doctors do not fully understand how to treat the injuries of the other 80 percent of lightning victims who survive a strike. Learn more here!
Lightning’s heat exceeds 50,000 degrees F. or three times hotter than the surface of the sun. Its’ speed is 90,000 miles per second (one hundred million feet per second). The average thickness of a bolt is 1-2 inches.
The National Weather Service has more great information about lightning safety, including an activity sheet with Leo Lion for children! You can visit the site here.
According to the National Weather Service, in 2005, there were 43 confirmed deaths and 172 confirmed injuries as a result of lightning strikes. The injury number is likely far lower than it should be because many people do not seek help or doctors do not record it as a lightning injury.
I hope your interest is peaked to learn more about lightning safety. Please be sure to teach your children how important it is to be safe from lightning!
Until next time,
Stay Safe,
Margaret Tucker, James City County Fire Department
Fire Educator
(757) 253-0574
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