Lighting

Lightning causes around 100 deaths in the U.S. annually (more than hurricanes and tornadoes combined). General lightning safety rules:

WHEN INSIDE:

Avoid using the telephone (except for emergencies) or other electrical appliances. Do not take a bath or shower.

IF CAUGHT OUTDOORS:

Go to a safe shelter immediately! such as inside a sturdy building. A hard top automobile with the windows up can also offer fair protection.

If you are boating or swimming, get out of the water immediately and move to a safe shelter away from the water!

If you are in a wooded area, seek shelter under a thick growth of relatively small trees.

If you feel your hair standing on end, squat as shown in the diagram below with your head between your knees. Do not lie flat!

Avoid: isolated trees or other tall objects, bodies of water, sheds, fences, convertible automobiles, tractors, and motorcycles.

Lightning often strikes outside of heavy rain and may occur as far as 10 miles away from any rainfall. "Heat lightning" is actually lightning from a thunderstorm too far away for thunder to be heard. However, the storm may be moving in your direction.

You are in danger from lightning if you can hear thunder. Because light travels so much faster than sound, lightning flashes can sometimes be seen long before the resulting thunder is heard. When the lightning and thunder occur very close to one another, the lightning is striking nearby. To estimate the number of miles you are from a thunderstorm, count the number of seconds between a flash of lightning and the next clap of thunder. Divide this number by five.

What to Do if Someone Is Struck by Lightning

Call for help. Get someone to dial 9-1-1 or your local Emergency Medical Services (EMS) number. Medical attention is needed as quickly as possible.

Give first aid. If breathing has stopped, begin rescue breathing. If the heart has stopped beating, a trained person should give CPR. If the person has a pulse and is breathing, look and care for other possible injuries.

Check for burns in two places. The injured person has received an electrical shock and may be burned, both where they were struck and where the electricity left their body. Being struck by lightning can also cause nervous system damage, broken bones, and loss of hearing or eyesight. People struck by lightning carry no electrical charge that can shock other people, and they can be handled safely.