To judge how far away lightning is, she said, measure the time between seeing the bolt or flash and hearing the thunder that follows. Every five seconds between when you see lightning and you hear thunder means the lightning is a mile away. Stay away from wire fences, rails and other metallic paths along the ground that could carry lightning currents to you. If you're in a small boat or swimming, come ashore, since the electrical current from a nearby strike can flow through the water to you. Take shelter in a house or building with a floor, electrical wiring and plumbing or in a car with the windows rolled up.
Golf carts are unsafe.
In open spaces, lie down or crouch in a ravine or valley. If no ravine or valley is nearby, get in any depression in the ground. In a wooded area, seek shelter in a thick growth of small trees. No one tree is more likely to be hit than any other. If a person is struck by lightning, Lehtola said, it's important not to assume they are dead simply because their heart has stopped beating or they have stopped breathing.