Therefore, lightning is an enormous and widespread danger to the physically active population, due in part to the prevalence of thunderstorms in the warm summer afternoons, and a societal trend towards outdoor physical activities. While print and television news reports of lightning strike incidents to recreational athletes are frequent during the thunderstorm season, many people are unsure about what to do and where to go to improve their own safety during thunderstorms. While the odds of being struck by lightning are extremely low over the course of a year, the odds are enormously greater when a storm is in the area and the proper safety precautions are not followed. It is incumbent upon all individuals to appreciate the lightning hazard, know the published guidelines, and act in a spirit that will encourage safe behavior in others. The keys to lightning safety are education and prevention.
Education begins with the background information and physics of lightning.
I encourage everyone to go to your local library to read the latest books on lightning and meteorology so that you can educate yourself about the basics of thunderstorms and lightning. Preventive measures should be implemented long before any athletic event. Having a written plan or policy is the primary step in preventing casualties due to lightning. As part of that plan, it is important to mandate checking weather reports each day before a practice or event. In this way, you will be aware of the possibility of storms forming or moving into the area during the day.