Number range CHAPTERLIGHTNING KILLS -- PLAY IT SAFE

By John Jensenius

Warning Coordination Meteorologist

National Weather Service

It's a common situation -- a thunderstorm is approaching or nearby. Are
conditions safe, or is it time to head for safety? Not wanting to appear
overly cautious, many people wait far too long before reacting to this
potentially deadly weather threat.

To promote a better understanding of the threats of lightning, the
National Weather Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), in conjunction with lightning experts across the
country, are sponsoring Lightning Safety Awareness Week from April 28 to
May 4, 2002. The goal of this campaign is to give people a better
understanding of the dangers of lightning so that they make safer
decisions when thunderstorms threaten. The safety recommendations
outlined during the week are based on lightning research and the lessons
learned from the unfortunate experiences of thousands of lightning
strike victims. Several survivors have joined with the National Weather
Service in this educational effort. As the survivors can attest,
knowledge of lightning safety is something that should be learned
through education, NOT through experience.

In order to understand the lightning threat, some basic information
should be known. Thunderstorms produce two types of lightning flashes,
'negative' and 'positive.' While both types are deadly, the
characteristics of the two types of flashes are quite different. Of the
two, negative flashes occur more frequently, usually under or near the
base of the thunderstorm where rain is falling. In contrast, positive
flashes generally occur away from the center of the storm and often in
areas where rain is not falling. Because theses positive flashes occur
where the lightning threat is perceived to be low or nonexistent, they
often catch people by surprise.

Each year across the United States, thunderstorms produce an estimated
25 million cloud-to-ground flashes of lightning \-- each one of those
flashes is a potential killer. Based on cases documented by the National
Weather Service over the past 30 years, an average of 73 people are
killed by lightning each year and hundreds more are injured, some
suffering devastating neurological injuries that persist for the rest of
their lives. A growing percentage of those struck are involved in
outside recreational activities.

Officials responsible for sports events and other outdoor activities
often lack an adequate knowledge of thunderstorms and lightning to make
educated decisions on when to seek safety. Without knowledge, officials
base their decisions on personal experience and, sometimes, on the
desire to complete the activity. Due to the nature of lightning,
however, personal experience can be misleading. While many people
routinely put their lives in jeopardy when thunderstorms are nearby, few
are actually struck by lightning. This results in a false sense of
safety. Unfortunately, this false sense of safety has resulted in
numerous lightning deaths and injuries during the past several decades
because people made decisions that unknowingly put their lives or the
lives of others at risk.

For organized outdoor activities, the National Weather Service
recommends that organizers have a lightning safety plan, and that they
follow the plan without exception. The plan should give clear and
specific safety guidelines in order to eliminate errors in judgment.
These guidelines should answer the following questions.

When should activities be stopped?

Where should people go for safety?

When should activities be resumed?

Who should monitor the weather and who is responsible to make the
decision to stop activities?

What should be done if someone is struck by lightning?

In addition, prior to an activity or event, organizers should listen to
the latest forecast to determine the likelihood of thunderstorms. A NOAA
Weather Radio is a good source of up-to-date weather information. If
thunderstorms are forecast, organizers should consider canceling or
postponing the activity or event. In some cases, the event can be moved
indoors. Once people start to arrive, the guidelines in the lightning
safety plan should be followed. Below is some information to consider
when making a lightning safety plan.

When should activities be stopped?

The sooner that activities are stopped and people get to a safe place,
the greater the level of safety. In general, a significant lightning
threat extends outward from the base of a thunderstorm cloud about 6 to
10 miles. Therefore, people should move to a safe place when a
thunderstorm is 6 to 10 miles away. Also, the plan's guidelines should
account for the time it will take for everyone to get to safety. Here
are some criteria that could be used to halt activities.

1\. If lightning is observed. The ability to see lightning varies
depending on the time of day, weather conditions, and obstructions such
as trees, mountains, etc. In clear air, and especially at night,
lightning can be seen from storms more than 10 miles away provided that
obstructions don't limit the view of the thunderstorm.

2\. If thunder is heard. Thunder can usually be heard for a distance of
about 10 miles provided that there is no background noise. Traffic,
wind, and precipitation may limit the ability to hear thunder to less
than 10 miles. If you hear thunder, though, it's a safe bet that the
storm is within ten miles.

3\. If the time between lightning and corresponding thunder is 30
seconds or less. This would indicate that the thunderstorm is 6 miles
away or less. As with the previous two criteria, obstructions, weather,
noise and other factors may limit the ability to use this criterion. In
addition, a designated person must diligently monitor any lightning.

In addition to any of the above criteria, activities should be halted if
the sky looks threatening. Thunderstorms can develop directly overhead
and some storms may develop lightning just as they move into an area.

Where should people go for safe shelter?

There is no place outside that is safe in or near a thunderstorm.
Consequently, people need to stop what they are doing and get to a safe
place immediately. **Small outdoor buildings including dugouts, rain
shelters, sheds, etc., are NOT SAFE.**

Substantial buildings with wiring and plumbing provide the greatest
amount of protection. Office buildings, schools, and homes are examples
of buildings that would offer good protection. Once inside, stay away
from windows and doors and anything that conducts electricity such as
corded phones, wiring, plumbing, and anything connected to these.

In the absence of a substantial building, a hard-topped metal vehicle
with the windows closed provides good protection. Occupants should avoid
contact with metal in the vehicle and, to the extent possible, move away
from windows.

When should activities be resumed?

Because electrical charges can linger in clouds after a thunderstorm has
passed, experts agree that people should wait at least 30 minutes after
the storm before resuming activities.

**Who should monitor the weather and who is responsible to make the
decision to stop activities?**

Lightning safety plans should specify that someone be designated to
monitor the weather for lightning. The 'lightning monitor' should not be
the coach, umpire, or referee, as they are not able to devote the
attention needed to adequately monitor conditions. The 'lightning
monitor' must know the plan's guidelines and be empowered to assure that
those guidelines are followed.

What should be done if someone is struck by lightning?

Most victims can survive a lightning strike; however, medical attention
may be needed immediately \-- have someone call for medical help.
Victims do not carry an electrical charge and should be attended to at
once. In many cases, the victim's heart and/or breathing may have
stopped and CPR may be needed to revive them. The victim should continue
to be monitored until medical help arrives; heart and/or respiratory
problems could persist, or the victim could go into shock. If possible,
move the victim to a safer place away from the threat of another
lightning strike.

For additional information:

The National Weather Service and NOAA have set up a web site that
provides a wealth of information on lightning and lightning safety. The
address is:

<http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/>

In addition, the National Collegiate Athletic Association has adopted a
specific set of lightning safety recommendations used for
intercollegiate athletic events. The recommendations can be found at:

<http://www.ncaa.org/sports_sciences/sports_med_handbook/1d.pdf>

For further information concerning lightning or weather safety, contact
the nearest National Weather Service Office. The nearest office can be
located by going to the following web site and clicking on the
appropriate state.

<http://www.stormready.noaa.gov/contact.htm>

More information on NOAA Weather Radio can be found at:

<http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr>