LIGHTNING SAFETY WEEK

...LIGHTNING SAFETY WEEK...

JUNE 19-25 IS LIGHTNING SAFETY WEEK.

...TODAYS TOPIC IS AN INTRODUCTION TO LIGHTNING...

LIGHTNING CAN BE FASCINATING TO WATCH BUT IS ALSO EXTREMELY
DANGEROUS. DURING THE PAST 30 YEARS LIGHTNING HAS KILLED AN AVERAGE
OF 55 PEOPLE PER YEAR IN THE UNITED STATES.

SO FAR IN 2011...THERE HAVE BEEN 5 PEOPLE KILLED BY LIGHTNING
NATIONWIDE. FOUR OF THOSE FATALITIES HAVE OCCURRED IN JUNE ALONE.
IN 2010 A TOTAL OF 29 PEOPLE DIED AS A RESULT OF LIGHTNING STRIKES...
ALL WERE OUTDOORS AND 76 PERCENT OF THEM WERE MALES.

FEW PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE DANGERS OF LIGHTNING. MANY PEOPLE DO NOT
ACT PROMPTLY TO PROTECT THEIR LIVES AND END UP PUTTING THEMSELVES
AND IN SOME CASES OTHERS AT RISK.

WATCH FOR SIGNS OF DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORMS ON WARM SUMMER DAYS.
ONCE YOU HEAR THUNDER YOU ARE POTENTIALLY CLOSE ENOUGH TO GET STRUCK.
THAT IS TIME TO MOVE INDOORS OR TO A PLACE OF SHELTER. REMEMBER THAT
THERE IS ALWAYS A FIRST STRIKE SO WAITING TO HEAR THUNDER IS NOT
ALWAYS A GOOD RULE. AND THERE ARE SCENARIOS WHEN ONLY ONE OR TWO
LIGHTNING STRIKES OCCUR FROM FAIRLY INNOCENT LOOKING SHOWERS. GIVEN
THE LOW LEVEL OF PREDICTABILITY WITH LIGHTNING...YOU ARE BETTER OFF
NOT TAKING CHANCES.

OVERALL IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO BE EDUCATED ON HOW LIGHTNING FORMS...
THE RELATED DANGERS...VARIOUS SAFETY RULES...AND SOME BACKGROUND
ON THE MEDICAL ISSUES. THIS INFORMATION MAY SAVE YOUR LIFE SOME DAY.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...PLEASE CHECK OUR WEB PAGE DEDICATED TO
LIGHTNING SAFETY AT...

LIGHTNINGSAFETY.NOAA.GOV