Lightening

Lightening is an electrical discharge which results from a buildup of static electricity between the ground and the clouds, or between two clouds. Lightening kills nearly 100 people every year in North America. Injuries caused by lightening are many times that number. Eighty-five percent of lightening victims were children and young men between the ages of 10-35 years. They were usually engaged in recreational or work activities. Twenty percent of strike victims die, while 70% will suffer serious burns.

When a thunderstorm threatens, take these precautions to reduce the likelihood of being struck by lightening.

• Don’t use electrical appliances, computers, television sets, etc. Disconnect them.

• Remain indoors until the storm has passed.

• Stay away from windows, doors, fireplaces, metal pipes and sinks. Don’t use the water during a storm.

If you’re caught outdoors:

• Try to get into a house, large building, or all-metal (not a convertible) car.

• Don’t stand underneath a natural lightening rod such as a tall isolated tree.

• Avoid hilltops and open spaces.

• Stay away from metal objects such as antennas, electric wires, fences, and train tracks. The rails can carry lightening to you from some distance away.

• Avoid standing in small isolated sheds or other small structures in open areas.

• In a forest, seek shelter in a low area under a thick growth of small trees. If you’re in an open area, go to a place as low as possible, like a ravine or a valley. In low-lying areas, be aware of the danger of flash floods

• If you’re in your car, stay there; it will give you protection. Don’t park by trees that might fall on you.

• If you’re caught in a flat area such as a level field or prairie and you feel your hair standing on end, this is an indication that lightening is about to strike. Avoid contact with other people, remove all metal objects from your body and clothes, crouch down with your feet together and hands on your knees.

You can estimate the distance a lightening strike is away from you by counting the seconds between the flash and the thunderclap. For each five-second count, the lightening is approximately one mile (1500 meters) away.