Hill City, Kansas U.S.A. - Don E. Scott, Sheriff
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It's estimated at any given moment nearly 2,000 thunderstorms are in progress over the earth's surface, and lightning strikes the earth 100 times each second. There are about 45,000 thunderstorms daily and 16 million annually around the world. There are at least 100,000 thunderstorms annually across the United States. Statistics from 1959-82 for the United States show that 2,430 people have lost their lives, and 5,882 have been injured by lightning, an average of a little over 100 people killed and about 250 injured each year. Property loss is estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars annually. |
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The safest place to be in a lightning storm is indoors. Automobiles are also very effective in protecting you from a big shock because the current flows through the metal frame of the car. If you are in a car, do not touch any exposed metal that is connected to the car. Indoors means indoors. Stay away from the windows! If you are in a house or building, do not use the telephone or any electrical appliance that is connected to the building's electrical wiring. Do not use showers, sinks, or anything where you are in contact with water that is in turn in contact with the building's plumbing system. |
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Stay away from tall, isolated objects like trees, flagpoles, or posts, and avoid large open areas like fields or parking lots where you are the relatively highest object. Stay away from lakes, ponds, railroad tracks, and fences which could bring current from a 'far-away' lightning strike to you. Dense woods are relatively safe due to the large number of trees that decrease the chance of lightning striking a tree next to you, but do not stand close to any of the trees. If there is no shelter, crouch down, grab your ankles, and bend forward, in a position where your head is not the highest part of your body and where your head does not touch the ground. DO NOT lie flat on the ground. If lightning is about to strike you or something extremely close, you may experience a tingling feeling on your skin and/or your hair may stand on end. If this occurs, quickly get into the position described above. It is unlikely that you will not be able find sufficient shelter, though. |
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Victims of lightning strikes are not always initially in a fatal situation. Typically a lightning strike will cause 'only' a cardiac arrest that can be corrected by proper resuscitation. Many lightning-related deaths occur when the victim does not receive the proper medical attention, so make it a priority to KNOW Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). |
© 1997 sheriff
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