June 24, 2009

Lightning Safety Awareness Week

       The following is a public information statement from the National Weather Service in Indianapolis and is reprinted here from an original distribution dated earlier today:

THIS WEEK IS LIGHTNING SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK. MANY LIGHTNING DEATHS
AND INJURIES IN THE UNITED STATES OCCUR DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS IN
THE AFTERNOON WHEN OUTDOOR ACTIVITY IS AT ITS PEAK. DURING THE
SUMMER...PEOPLE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE WEATHER TO ENJOY MANY
RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES. WHILE BOATING...SWIMMING...FISHING...
JOGGING...BICYCLING...CAMPING...WALKING OR WORKING OUTDOORS...YOU
SHOULD ALWAYS TAKE ACTION IN A TIMELY MANNER WHEN THUNDERSTORMS
APPROACH. MINIMIZE YOUR RISK OF BEING STRUCK BY LIGHTNING BY GETTING
TO A SAFE PLACE BEFORE THE THUNDERSTORM ARRIVES. STAY THERE UNTIL 30
MINUTES AFTER THE THUNDERSTORM HAS ENDED. THE THREAT FROM LIGHTNING
STARTS WELL BEFORE MOST PEOPLE THINK IT DOES...AND ENDS WELL AFTER
MANY THINK IT ENDS. UNFORTUNATELY...THIS LACK OF UNDERSTANDING
ACCOUNTS FOR MANY LIGHTNING CASUALTIES.
WHILE NO ONE CAN COMPLETELY ELIMINATE THE RISK OF BEING STRUCK BY
LIGHTNING...YOU CAN GREATLY REDUCE YOUR RISK BY FOLLOWING A FEW
SIMPLE SAFETY RULES. FIRST...PLAN AHEAD. IF THUNDERSTORMS ARE
PREDICTED...POSTPONE OR CANCEL OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES SO YOU CAN AVOID A
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. SECOND...MONITOR WEATHER CONDITIONS.
WATCH THE SKY FOR ANY SIGNS OF DEVELOPING OR APPROACHING STORMS...
AND LEAVE IN TIME TO REACH A PLACE OF SAFETY. THIRD...IF THE SKY
LOOKS THREATENING...OR YOU BEGIN TO HEAR THUNDER...IMMEDIATELY SEEK
SHELTER INDOORS. REMAIN THERE FOR AT LEAST 30 MINUTES AFTER THE LAST
FLASH OF LIGHTNING OR RUMBLE OF THUNDER. SOME VICTIMS HAVE MADE THE
MISTAKE OF GOING BACK OUTSIDE TOO EARLY. ALSO...IF YOU ARE CAUGHT
OUTSIDE IN A THUNDERSTORM...REDUCE YOUR RISK OF BEING STRUCK. STAY
AWAY FROM TALL OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES AND POLES.
ALSO...STAY AWAY FROM THINGS THAT CONDUCT ELECTRICITY SUCH AS METAL
BLEACHERS OR METAL FENCES...AND DO NOT SEEK SHELTER IN PARTIALLY
ENCLOSED STRUCTURES SUCH AS PARK SHELTERS. IF PARTICIPATING IN
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES...MAKE SURE THOSE IN CHARGE HAVE AND FOLLOW A
SPECIFIC LIGHTNING SAFETY PLAN. COACHES...UMPIRES...OR SCHOOL AND
CAMP OFFICIALS NEED TO KNOW TO STOP ACTIVITIES EARLY SO THERE IS
ENOUGH TIME TO GET EVERYONE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY.
IF IN A VEHICLE...ROLL UP THE WINDOWS AND DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING METAL
INSIDE THE VEHICLE. FINALLY...DO NOT FORGET THE SAFETY OF YOUR PETS.
DOG HOUSES ARE NOT SAFE...AND DOGS ON METAL CHAINS OR WIRE RUNNERS
ARE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO LIGHTNING STRIKES. FOR MORE
INFORMATION ON LIGHTNING SAFETY...VISIT HTTP://WWW.LIGHTNINGSAFETY.NOAA.GOV
 
    

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