Milford chronicle., 1961-10-20
lightning Kills, Beware

Lightning is a killer When a
rainStorm burst over a rifle range
recently, four soldiers were killed
and 16 others injured from a light
ming bolt that ricocheted off a
large tree as the men started to
persons were killed when light
ming struck small building on a
North Carolina tobacco farm.
A. NJ Hasso. district representa-
tive of the Allstate Safety Crusade
said. Prom the beginning of time.
lightning has terrified man by its
unearthly and spectacular force.
Since you drew your last breath,
lightning has struck the earth a
hundred times"
More deaths, in an average year,
are caused by lightning than by
tornadoes or hurricanes. Several
hundred people are killed and hun
dreds more injured annually as a
result of lightning in the United
States.
Unfortunately. Hasso poi n d
out. many superstitions and false
facts about lightning have been
passed along through generations.
In some areas, for example, it is
commonly believed that lightning
rods should not be used because
they draw the lightning.
The Allstate Safety Crusade. ma
tionally recognized program of the
Allstate e Insurance Companies,
cautions that Lightning ordinari-
ly strikes the highest object in the
immediate vicinity; that's why you
should not be in the middle of
fairway on a golf course, or under
a tall tree during a thunderstorm.
A building sitting among taller
buildings or other taller objects
which will conduct lightning. is
comparatively immune from being
hit by lightning. On the other hand.
a building with high spire or
building sitting on top of q hill
is a prime target.
lightning rods are inexpensive
and effective protection, provided
they are installed by experts and
are properly maintained. On the
other hand, lightning rods which
do not go to proper ground con-
nections not only are useless. but
could be harmful by increasing the
height of the building and making
it more vulnerable to lightning.
Tall buildings with steel frames
constantly are hit by lightning
charges. A steel frame extending
into the ground acts as a light
ming rod and usually conducts the
lightning safely into the ground
without harm to the building or its
occupants. Remember, you are not
just buying conductors but safety
of your own life and property"
Hasso said.
Allstate points out that proper
ties in rural areas are particularly
vulnerable to lightning because
they so often are the highest OBJ
ject in the immediate vicinity Ap-
proximately 81 percent of all farm
fires, for example, are from light
ming. In areas where electrical
storms are intense, people moving
into ranch type. bi-level and colo
NAL houses may fail to realize the
increased danger from lightning
and the greater need for safe
guarding themselves and their pro-
perty against this menace II the
new home is the highest object
in the immediate vicinity, it is ad-
visable to check with local light
ming rod experts.
The Allstate Safety Crusade rec
Ommends the following precau-
tions to be taken during thunder
storms:
l. Stay indoors and avoid being
near screens, windows or metal
exterior doors. Avoid touching e.
lectric light circuits, radio and
teleyision sets, telephones or
plumbing.
2. If out of doors, avoid isolated
trees, wire fences, hilltops, large
open spaces such as golf fairways
Seek shelter In a cave, a grove of
trees, a ravine, or at the foot Of a
cliff.
3. Automobiles with metal tops
provide good personal protection;
keep all parts of the body within
the vehicle, don't lean out the win
dow or allow limbs to project.
A. Never stand under or near
tall tree or other object which
may be the highest point in the
immediate area
5. Stay away from beaches and
out of water during a thunder
storm.
Hasso concludes, Don't under
estimate the enormous energy
and potential destructive force OF
lightning plus its ability to deliver
practically instantaneously."