Step-by-Step Lightning Safety

1/23/2022 (Permalink)

Lightning causes around 27 deaths in the U.S. annually, based on statistics gathered by the National Weather Service. Nationally, lightning is one of the leading causes of weather-related deaths. Lightning is the most frequent important weather threat to personal safety during the thunderstorm season. Unfortunately, Texas has observed several lightning fatalities and injuries. Why? The main reason is that people stay outside too long as thunderstorms approach or form nearby.  During the early part of the thunderstorm season, for example, May and June, "dry" thunderstorms are quite common. With these types of thunderstorms, little or no precipitation reaches the ground and, as a result, people are less likely to seek shelter. If thunder is heard, then the storm is close enough for a lightning strike.  DO NOT wait for the rain to start before seeking shelter, and do not leave shelter just because the rain has ended. Did you know?

• The air near a lightning strike is heated to 50,000 ° F, which is hotter than the surface of the sun!
• The average flash could light a 100-watt light bulb for more than 3 months.
• Lightning occurs with all thunderstorms.

It's not raining, is there still danger from being struck by lightning? YES! Lightning often strikes outside of the heavy rain area and may occur as far as 10 miles away from any rainfall. Will the rubber soles of my shoes or tires on my car protect me from being struck? NO! However, the steel frame of a hard-topped car provides increased protection if you are not touching metal. Although you may be injured if lightning strikes your car, you are much safer inside the car than outside. To roughly estimate the distance in miles between you and the lightning flash, count the seconds between the lightning and the thunder and divide by 5. When skies darken, or thunderstorms are forecast, look and listen for increasing wind, flashes of lightning, the sound of thunder, and static on your AM radio. While no place is safe from lightning, some places are much safer than others. 

Where you can go…

1. Get inside a house or large shelter
2. Do not use a corded telephone during a thunderstorm.  Only use cordless or wireless phones instead.
3. Remain clear of tall, isolated trees and telephone poles.
4. Stay away from wire fences, clotheslines, or metal pipes and rails.
5. If you are caught outside, away from shelter, you need to get to a place of safety as quickly as possible.
6. Wait 30 minutes after you hear the last rumble of thunder before going outside.

What you can do...

• Watch for signs of an approaching thunderstorm
• Postpone outdoor activities if thunderstorms are imminent.  This is your best way to avoid being caught in a dangerous situation
• REMEMBER if you can hear thunder, you are close enough to a storm to be struck by lightning
• If possible, move to a sturdy building or hard top automobile
• If safe shelter is not available, find a low spot away from trees, fences, and poles
• If boating or swimming, get out of boats and away from the water, get to land, and find shelter immediately

Our team at SERVPRO of Southwest Fort Worth wants everyone in our community to stay safe during major storms. If you need emergency board-up to protect your home or storm damage restoration, give us a call at (817) 557-6895.