Seek Shelter Sooner and Stay In Longer

Early Warning - When to implement a your lightning safety rule is directly connected with your ability to be aware of an unsafe condition regarding lightning. There are a number of methods available to help you decide on an unsafe condition.

The First, and no doubt the safest approach is an early warning device that can warn of the first strike. The Thor Guard Lightning Warning system measures the charge build up from the cloud to alert and warn of the danger. This approach does not depend on a previous strike as a reference and can warn you before the first strike is about to happen. See http://www.thorguard.com/ for additional details on this early warning device.

   The Second approach is your eyes and ears.

If you see lightning stop your outdoor activity and seek safe shelter.
Lightning can travel much further than you can see and if you see lightning, you are already in danger.

If you hear thunder immediately stop your outdoor activity and immediately seek shelter.
The sound of thunder dissipates rapidly in the atmosphere. Lightning can be dangerously close yet the sound of its thunder may cause you to think that it is a considerable distance.  When you hear thunder you are in immediate danger. 

The Third approach is to take advantage of the lightning detection technology available via the internet or TV.  Many sources provide a real time lightning display map for your area. Use an at-home-observer to monitor the display map and call on-site personnel about an approaching storm containing lightning.

Real Time Lightning Display Map for SW Ohio
Available on the home page of this site

When to resume activities

Remain in your safe location for 30 minutes after the last sight of lightning or the last sound of thunder. If you are in an area that uses the Thor Guard Lightning Detection and Warning System, wait until you hear three short blasts from the horns and the strobe light extinguishes, indicating a safe return to activities.

The 30/30 Rule (Partly Out-Of-Date and NOT RECOMMENDED)

You may have heard of or used the 30/30 rule. Used by many organizations it was never a good predictor of impending danger and has often been replaced by methods described above. Research indicates that this rule may not provide sufficient early warning for a number of reasons. The first number in the 30/30 rule represents 30 seconds and is used for forecasting danger. It is this number that causes the rule to be a poor indication of danger. The rule asks that you measure the time between a lightning flash and its thunder. If less than 30 seconds (5 sec/mile) which represents 6 miles, then you should seek safe shelter. The problem with using six miles as the cut-off point is that the average length of a lightning bolt is 6-8 miles or longer and the maximum distance you can hear thunder can be as short as two (2) miles and seldom exceeds ten (10) miles. Therefore, even if you do not hear thunder but see the flash, you may be in immediate danger. The second problem with the first number in the 30/30 rule is that it depends on you hearing thunder that is six miles away. This can be difficult depending on wind direction, background noise, terrain and the direction of travel for the strike.

The second number of the 30/30 rule represents 30 minutes and remains as a good guideline. It asks that you remain in your safe location for 30 minutes (Recommended) after the last sight of lightning or the last sound of thunder. Research indicates that 50 percent of lightning related deaths occur after the storm has passed when most people think the storm is over. This rule is by no means a 100% guarantee of your safety.

Replace the 30/30 rule with:
When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors and stay there for 30 minutes after the last sound of thunder or sight of lightning.

After The Strike “Seconds Count”

• When you experience a close strike you will hear a loud crack sound and you may see the bright light of the flash. When the strike is within 20-50 feet, you need to immediately do two things. First check that everyone is alive. If the magnetic field from the strike synchronizes with the hearts T-wave, the heart can stop. Check everyone from babies to the elderly. The magnetic field doesn’t discriminate and in general, you can not feel the magnetic field.

• Secondly, take a look in your attic and see if it’s on fire. A lightning strike to the roof of a residential structure can easily flame the inside of the attic without your knowledge. Fire doubles in size about every 30 seconds* and precious seconds count. A two minute delay in response could mean the fire is 8 times larger. It may not be obvious that your attic is on fire until fire begins dropping from the ceiling, possibly trapping you inside the structure or your neighbors call and comment that the moisture on your roof is steaming.
    
• Installing a smoke detector in the attic is a good idea but the problem is that smoke detectors are not designed to operate in the extreme temperature ranges of the attic. Typical temperatures can reach a high of 175 degrees and a low of whatever is your low outside winter temperature. A typical temperature range for a smoke detector can be 32 degrees F to around 130 degrees F, clearly not suited for the typical attic. NFPA (National Fire Protection Association)  has no guidelines to help us out here.  Having said that, many have used a regular combination photoelectric and ionizing detector in the attic with considerable success.  Locating the sounding device in the living area is also a good idea. Stay tuned and I will post any late developments regarding approved detection for attic smoke detection on this web site.

* This rate varies and depends on fuel supply, oxygen supply, containment, and other site specific conditions.

• No location outdoors is safe from lightning!  Repeating: No location outdoors is safe from lightning!  
• Develop your safety plan prior to the event and designate someone responsible for the event safety.
  See Event Safety Plan
• Each individual is ultimately responsible for his or her own personal safety.
• Adults must take responsibility for the safety of children and pets in their care during thunderstorms.
• At the first sign impending danger immediately implement your “Safety Plan”
• Move quickly to a safe location, preferably a "Lightning Safe Shelter", or a hardtop metal vehicle with the windows rolled up. Move to the center of the vehicle, do not touch any metal and stay off the 2-way radio connected to an outside antenna.
• Stay off a PlayStation® and similar devices and off a corded phone inside or outside a structure. It’s okay to use a cell phone or portable phone inside a structure but never outdoors when there is a threat of lightning.
• Remove metal from the body like watchbands, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, barrettes, rings, chains, belts and a bra containing an under-wire. Encourage the use of sports bras that contain no metal. Body metal is dangerous for two reasons. The first is that any jewelry that is formed in a full circle (a closed loop like a ring, necklace or bracelet) acts as a magnetic antenna for the magnetic pulse from the lightning strike. This will cause the metal to become red hot when lightning strikes near by (typically 20 feet) and it can burn deep into the skin. The second reason is that if you should get struck by lightning, any metal on the body can become over heated and burn deeply into the skin.
• Don't touch anything that could conduct electricity.
• Avoid water. Water can transmit fatal current 600 feet from a distant lightning strike exposing swimmers, boaters, and fishermen to risk.
• Concrete is highly conductive to lightning. Avoid concrete roofs and bridges, roads, driveways, sidewalks, buildings, patios and airport runways. The high temperature of the lightning bolt causes the concrete to explode sending chunks of concrete in all directions. 

[Ed. Note]  A  friend of mine was reading a maintenance manual inside a concrete building used to hold the electronics for a radar dome. Lightning hit the radar dome and traveled down the ground cable to ground.  At the location where the ground wire enters the building the concrete exploded. One of those chunks of concrete, the size of a golf ball, went completely through his book. Needless to say, that same chunk of concrete would have killed my friend if it had traveled through him.

 Sporting Event

• Trees and open shelters found on and around sporting events offer no protection from lightning and, in fact, are quite susceptible to a lightning strike.
• Get far away from the goal post, scoreboard. metal fences around ball parks, backstops, dugouts with metal roofs, metal seating, metal signs, light pole, flag pole
• Get far away from the golf cart, the metal cup on the tee, the ball washer, metal signs or metal post.
• When lightning is a threat, throw your golf clubs on the ground and far away from you.

 Boating

• If caught on the open water during a lightning storm go below deck if possible and avoid metal objects.
• Stop using metal antennas like fishing poles, outriggers, umbrellas and pet leashes.
• Properly ground your boat for lightning.
• Water can transmit fatal current 600 feet from a distant lightning strike exposing swimmers, boaters, and fishermen to risk.

 Indoor

• Keep people and pets away from all metal, particularly the top level bathroom, the kitchen, the laundry room, plumbing, heating ducts & vents, electrical outlets, electrical appliances, phone lines, ceiling fans, TV, windows, metal door, fireplace, chimney, metal radiators, wood stove, computer, hair dryers, electric toothbrushes, or electric razors.
• Don't touch anything that could conduct electricity.
• Unplug appliances before a storm nears - never during.  Unplug the phone line from the computer because the majority of computer failures arise from lightning traveling to the computer via the phone line, not the power line.

 Outdoor

Nowhere outdoors is safe from the danger. However, some locations are more dangerous than others. You may already know that standing under a tree is dangerous but did you know that 60 feet or more from the tree is lethal? Should lightning strike a tree, a metal flag pole, a street light pole or other tall isolated object the energy from the strike distributes on the surface of the ground at the base of the tall object and remains lethal for a minimum of a 60 foot radius. Beyond 60 feet may not be lethal but can cause life long injuries if you choose to stand in this area. Did we mention that standing in water such as a pool, a lake or the ocean is lethal for 600 feet from a lightning strike?

• Close all windows, move to the center of a hardtop vehicle, do not touch any metal and stay off the 2-way radio connected to an outside antenna.
• If no buildings or metal vehicles are available, your best protection is a cave, ditch, canyon, or low ravine, but watch for flooding.
• When in a group and in the open, spread out, keeping people several yards apart.
• Avoid flammable materials in open containers. If open, close them up!
• Avoid all refueling. Completely avoid gas stations. Never fill a vehicle's gas tank during a storm.
• Avoid open metal vehicles such as a motorcycle, a bicycle, a golf cart, a lawn mower, an ATV, a tractor, farm equipment or a convertible automobile.
• Avoid standing underneath or beside a tree, road sign, telephone pole, electrical pole, light pole, flagpole, radio tower, monument or metal ladder. Should lightning strike a tree, a metal flag pole, a street light pole or other tall isolated object the energy from the strike distributes on the surface of the ground at the base of the tall object and remains lethal for a minimum of a 60 foot radius. Beyond 60 feet may not be lethal but can cause life long injuries if you choose to stand in this area.
• Avoid open areas like the beach, parking lots, open water, swimming pool (indoors and outdoors), the golf course, athletic fields, recreational parks, stadiums and picnic areas.
• Avoid being the tallest object by projecting above the surrounding landscape. Examples include standing in an open field (sports field, stadium or golf course), riding horseback, a hill top, or a mountain top.
• Avoid standing in small isolated sheds or other small structures in open areas.
• Avoid metal antennas like telephones, fishing rods, golf clubs, umbrellas, pet leashes, clothes lines, metal fences, power lines, pipelines, structural steel fabrication, railroad tracks, metal pipe, plumbing, metal gutters and down spouts. These make great antennas for the electrical field of a near by strike.

 Pets & Farm Animals

• You are responsible for your animals, they cannot protect themselves.
• Do not leave your pet outdoors during a lightning storm. They are particularly susceptible to step-voltage from a near-by lightning strike.
• 80% of accidental outdoor animal deaths occur from lightning.
• Replace metal collars and metal leashes with plastic.
• Do not chain an animal to a tree during a lightning storm or attach to a metal exercise wire.
• Provide a lightning safe shelter for your pet(s) and farm animals

 Keep a Perspective

It is quite difficult to obtain complete personal safety from lightning. In an effort to provide a perspective on this, the list below is organized into steps of descending safety where 10 is best. This rating is from the 45th weather squadron for the Air Force. Mr. William P. Roeder, Chief Staff Meteorologist

• Lightning Certified Safe Shelter, Rating = (10)
• Lightning Protected Building, Rating = (9)
• In the center of a lower level large enclosed substantially constructed building containing electrical and/or plumbing and away from all connections to the outside. Rating = (7)
• A hardtop enclosed metal vehicle with the windows rolled up such as car, bus, airplane, train, tractor or camper. Rating = (3)
• Outdoors, Rating = (0) 

First Aid  - "Treat the Dead First"

• Specific medical advice should be obtained through consultation with a physician or other trained health care practitioner.
• Immediately call 911 and/or send someone for help.
• "Make no additional causalities". If the scene is considered safe, you can immediately begin treating the victim. No residual electrical charge remains after the strike.
• Normal triage recommends that you treat the living first. This guideline is opposite for lightning. 
  Treat the dead first. A high percentage of lightning victims can be revived. If breathing is absent, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (a combination of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and external cardiac compression) CPR is necessary in conjunction with  the  use of an AED (Automated External Defibrillator)
• Others may be stunned or otherwise injured and also need attention. Check for burns, especially at fingers, toes, next to buckles and body metal (jewelry).
• Give first aid for shock.
• Do not let the victim walk around. Stay with the victim until help arrives.
• The Red Cross first aid course provides excellent instruction on how to provide aid to a person who has been struck by lightning.
• Lightning injuries receive less attention than lightning deaths. The survivors are often the untold casualties of lightning strikes. Less than 12% of the lightning that strikes people is fatal; however, approximately 70% causes long-term medical problems.
• Lightning injuries are not well understood by the general medical community and many symptoms can be delayed until long after the strike has passed. It is important that you encourage survivors and their doctors to contact LSESSI.

     Lightning Strike & Electric Shock Survivors International
      P.O. Box 1156
      Jacksonville, North Carolina 28541-1156
      Phone & Fax #: 910-346-4708
      E-mail: LIGHTNING1@CC.RR.COM

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