, s r a o R r e ! d s n r u o h o T d n n e I h W o Before thunderstorms and lightning strike, you should do the following:
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When thunderstorms threaten, get to a safe place.
Lightning •
If you can hear thunder, you • are in danger. Lightning often strikes outside the area of heavy rain and may strike as far as 10 • miles from any rainfall.
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Each year in the United States, more than 400 people are struck by lightning. On average, between 55 and 60 are killed, and; hundreds of others suffer permanent neurological disabilities. Most of these tragedies can be avoided with a few simple precautions.
Build an emergency kit and make a family communications plan. Have a battery-operated radio for updates from local officials. Remove dead or rotting trees and branches that could fall and cause injury or damage during a severe thunderstorm. Secure outdoor objects that could blow away or cause damage. Postpone outdoor activities. Get inside a home, building or hard top automobile (not a convertible). Although you may be injured if lightning strikes your car, you are much safer inside a vehicle than outside. Do not use small structures (open shelters on athletic fields, on golf courses, in parks, at roadside picnic areas, in school yards, and elsewhere) that are designed to protect people from rain and sun, but not lightning. Surge protectors do not protect against direct lightning strikes. Unplug equipment such as computers and televisions. Shutter windows, close window blinds, shades or curtains and secure outside doors.
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What to do during a storm: •
Need-to-know terms: • •
Severe Thunderstorm Watch – Tells you when and where severe thunderstorms are likely to occur. Watch the sky and stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio or television for information. Severe Thunderstorm Warning – Issued when severe weather has been reported by spotters or indicated by radar. Warnings indicate imminent danger to life and property in the path of the storm.
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FACTS
Thunderstorms • • •
Thunderstorms typically produce heavy rain for a brief period, anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. Warm, humid conditions are highly favorable for thunderstorm development. About 10 percent of thunderstorms are classified as severe – one that produces hail at least an inch or larger in diameter, has winds of 58 miles per hour or higher, or produces a tornado.
FACTS
Your chances of being struck by lightning are estimated to be 1 in 600,000. Victims of lightning do not retain the charge and are not “electrified.” It is safe to help them. Rubber shoes do not provide any meaningful protection from lightning. It is a myth lightning never strikes the same place twice. In fact, lightning can strike the same place more than once – often several times during the same storm. A vehicle with a metal top can offer passengers some protection – but keep hands away from the metal sides. An umbrella can increase your chances of being struck by lightning if it makes you the tallest object in the area. Always avoid being the highest object anywhere. A lightning strike is almost five times hotter than the surface of the sun! If your hair stands up in a storm, it could mean positive charges are rising through you, reaching toward the negatively charged part of the storm. That’s not a good sign! Your best bet is to go indoors immediately. Most lightning deaths and injuries occur when people are caught outdoors in the summer months during the afternoon or evening. People on, in or near water are among those most at risk during thunderstorms. Swimming is a potential channel for electrical discharge, and water is a good conductor of electricity.
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Avoid contact with corded phones and plugged-in electronic devices. Cordless and wireless phones not connected to wall outlets are OK to use. Avoid contact with plumbing. Do not wash your hands, or take a shower. Do not wash dishes or do laundry. Plumbing and bathroom fixtures can conduct electricity. Stay away from windows and doors, and stay off porches. Do not lie on concrete floors, and do not lean against concrete walls. Avoid natural lightning rods such as tall, isolated trees in open areas. Avoid hilltops, open fields, beaches or boats on the water. Take shelter. Avoid contact with anything metal – tractors, farm equipment, motorcycles, golf carts, golf clubs, and bicycles. If driving, try to safely exit the roadway and park. Stay in the vehicle and turn on the emergency flashers until the heavy rain ends. Avoid touching metal or other surfaces that conduct electricity in and outside the vehicle. Hold off moving fallen debris until the storm has passed, allowing at least 30 minutes before going outdoors.