What are some tips for
lightning safety?
Lightning can travel from outside your home to inside
your home-and to you-through materials that conduct
electricity, including electrical wiring, phone lines,
water, and plumbing. These safety guidelines will help
minimize your risk.
When you first hear thunder, it's time to take
precautions indoors.
If you're inside and you hear thunder or see lightning,
it's time to take precautions. Continue your indoor
safety precautions for 30 minutes after you see the last
lightning or hear the last thunder.
Never touch wiring during a thunderstorm.
Its too late to unplug your electronics if thunderstorms
are close.
If you count 30 seconds or less from when you see
lightning to when you hear thunder, you missed your
chance to unplug your home electronics. If you're in the
lightning danger zone, you should not touch any wiring,
even just to unplug your home electronics!
Avoid using phones and only use cell phones or
cordless phones.
If you need to use the phone, corded phones are
dangerous during thunderstorms. Lightning traveling
through the telephone wires has killed people. Cell
phone and cordless phones are a safer choice, but stand
away from the cell or cordless phone's power base. Be
sure to keep your cordless and cell phones charged; they
may not work if your power goes out.
Wait to use any plumbing.
Sinks, showers, tubs, and toilets can conduct
electricity from lightning strikes from outside your
home to you.
Stop playing video games connected to your TV.
Electronic equipment with handsets, joysticks, and
headsets connected by wiring to your TV, computer, or
stereo are dangerous during thunderstorms. Stop
playing-and stop your children from playing-video games
connected to TV during thunderstorms. The wiring creates
a path for lightning to reach you from outside your
home.
Stay away from windows.
Metal window frames can conduct electricity. Windowpanes
can break from acoustic shock of thunder, wind-blown
objects, or large-size hail.
Keep flashlights, battery-operated lights and radios
ready to use.
If your power goes out, use flashlights or
battery-operated lights instead of candles. Candles are
a fire hazard. Have a battery-powered radio available
for updated weather conditions.
Outdoor Safety
No place outside is 100% safe from lightning during a
thunderstorm. However, there are some precautions you
can take to minimize your risk.
There is no reason to be caught off guard by a
thunderstorm.
The best way to avoid lightning is not put yourself,
family, and friends in danger in the first place. No one
should be caught "off guard" by thunderstorms.
Outdoor sports and thunderstorms are a deadly
combination.
Lightning in open fields kills more people than any
other outdoor place. Outdoor sports activities on large
open fields-like soccer, golf, baseball, and
softball-usually peak during thunderstorm season in most
states. Players, coaches, and staff often push their
luck when thunderstorms threaten their safety, hoping to
get one more hole in, one more kick off, or one more
batter up. The consequences can be deadly.
Know the lightning safety-warning program at your
outdoor sports facility.
Outdoor recreation facilities, such as golf courses,
should have a formal lightning warning policy that meets
these two basic requirements:
1. Lightning danger warnings can be issued in time for
everyone to get to a safe shelter.
2. There is access to adequate safe shelter-such as a
clubhouse or locker room.
For more information on lightning safety recommendations
for outdoor sports facilities, email us.
Watch for thunderstorms and use the 30/30 rule.
During thunderstorms, no place outside is safe. But
lightning safety experts agree that you can minimize
your risk if thunderstorms develop or approach by
following these steps:
1. Designate someone from your group to be the storm
watcher.
2. Use the 30/30 rule.
• When you see lightning, count the seconds until you
hear thunder.
• If this time is 30 seconds or less, quickly go inside
a substantial building. If
such a building is not available, a metal-topped vehicle
is the next best choice.
• Wait at least 30 minutes after seeing the last
lightning or hearing the last
thunder before going back outside.
Get off the water, out of open spaces, and away from
trees.
Avoid the two most deadly places, open spaces and under
trees during thunderstorms. Also avoid things that
conduct electricity, such as water, utility lines, and
metal fences. Get to a safe place as quickly as
possible. A substantial enclosed building is the safest
place. A metal-topped vehicle with the windows up is the
next best alternative if you can't get to a building.
• Boaters: Get off the water and go to a safe place.
• Swimmers: Get out of the water and go to a safe place.
• Players on open playing fields: Get off the field and
go to safe place.
• Golfers: Leave the golf course and go to a safe place,
such as a clubhouse.
• Hikers: Turn around and go back to a building or your
metal-topped vehicle.
Your last resort is stay low and stay away from trees
and other tall things.
If you're still outdoors and lightning has struck close
to you, crouch down into a ball on the balls of your
feet. Your goal is to be the smallest target possible
with the least contact with the ground. Do not seek
shelter under tall or isolated trees or unsubstantial
shelters. It's better to be wet from the rain than dead
or disabled from lightning.If someone is
struck by lightning
Call 9-1-1 or the emergency service agency in your area.
If the victim's heart stopped or they stopped breathing,
immediately administer CPR.
For more information The
National Institute of Standards and Technology (nist.gov)
lightning safety website features many helpful articles.
If you are looking for a Florida electrician please call us
toll free today at 888-670-BEST or complete our
online request form.
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