When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors!

Lightning Safety Awareness Week is observed each third week of June - June 19 to June 25 this year. It is estimated that 1,000 people are struck by lightning each year in the U.S. This can cause death or neurological issues. Because we know the dangers of being struck by lightning, NEC Co-op Energy feels it is imperative to share some facts about this phenomenon with our members.

When thunder roars, go indoors! You should seek shelter in a substantial building, your home, or a hardtopped vehicle. You should wait 30 minutes after the storm to resume activities. Here are some other tips to consider when thunderstorms are in your area:

• NO PLACE outside is safe when thunderstorms are in the area

• If you hear thunder, lightning is close enough to strike you

• When you hear thunder, IMMEDIATELY move to safe shelter

If you are outside with no safe shelter nearby, reduce your risk by:

• Get off elevated areas like a hill

• Never lie flat on the ground

• Never shelter under an isolated tree

The channel of air through which lightning passes can be 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit which is hotter than the surface of the sun. The rapid heating and cooling of the air near the lightning channel causes a shock wave that results in thunder. The energy from just one flash of lightning could light a 100-watt light bulb for more than 3 months. You can easily estimate the storm distance by counting the number of seconds between a flash of lightning and the sound of thunder and dividing by 5.

Lightning is known as the underrated killer. Death by lightning typically receives less attention than other storm-related killers because it does not result in mass destruction or fatalities like hurricanes or tornadoes do.