Bette Shultz, Thurston County Emergency Coordinator, 360-754-3360
Ted Buehner, Chris Hill, National Weather Service, Seattle, 206-526-6857
Be Mindful of
Threat Caused by Lightning Storms
OLYMPIA – A lightning storm is one of the most dramatic weather events
that Mother Nature has to offer, but it’s important to remember that it is
also one of the most deadly.Each
year in the United States, lightning strikes kill 73 people and another 300
are injured; that’s according to statistics kept by the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration. With that danger in mind, June 22-28 has been
declared National Lightning Safety Awareness Week.
Washington State does not receive as many lightning storms as some other
areas of the country, but the ones we do receive are just as deadly.According to the National Weather Service Office in Seattle, we average
one lightning-caused death every two years.In addition, several injuries are caused by lightning each year.Of course, there are wildfires and much property damage caused by such
storms in this state each year.
Lightning is caused by the interaction of negative and positive charges in
the atmosphere and the attraction of surplus negative electrons to the ground.The eventual buildup causes the thunder and lightning that we would
associate with such a storm.Some
of the warning signs of a lightning storm are the accumulation of dark clouds,
rainfall and high winds.It’s
important to note that fifty-percent of lightning related deaths occur after
it appears the storm has passed.The
conditions that cause lightning can last up to 30 minutes after the clouds
have rolled past and the threat can continue even when skies are clear.
There is no absolute protection from lightning, but some precautions are
helpful.If a storm is
approaching avoid being in, or near, high places.You should also stay away from open fields, isolated trees, baseball
dugouts, communications towers and high poles, metal fences and water.
Ninety-percent of lightning victims survive their injuries, especially if
medical attention is immediate.Victims
do not carry an electrical charge so people can help with mouth-to-mouth
resuscitation and other assistance as needed.
For more information on lightning safety, visit these web sites-
