PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 920 AM EDT THU JUN 26 2014 ...PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT... LIGHTNING SAFETY AND SPORTS ACTIVITIES WHETHER YOURE OUT KICKING A BALL AROUND WITH A FRIEND, OR AT A MAJOR SPORTS EVENT, YOU SHOULD BE PREPARED TO GET TO A SAFE PLACE IN CASE A THUNDERSTORM THREATENS. SINCE 2006, SPORTS ACTIVITIES (GOLF, SOCCER, RUNNING, BASEBALL, FOOTBALL) CONTRIBUTED TO 29 LIGHTNING DEATHS IN THE UNITED STATES. IN MANY CASES, THOSE INVOLVED IN THE ACTIVITIES FAILED TO REALIZE THE DEVELOPING DANGER. FOR ANYONE OUTSIDE, WHETHER YOURE INVOLVED IN SPORTS OR SOME OTHER ACTIVITY, KEEP AN EYE ON THE SKY AND HEAD TO SAFETY AT THE FIRST SIGN OF A DEVELOPING OR APPROACHING STORM. IF YOU HEAR THUNDER, YOURE ALREADY IN DANGER AND SHOULD HEAD INSIDE A SUBSTANTIAL BUILDING OR HARD-TOPPED VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY. OFFICIALS IN CHARGE OF ORGANIZED SPORTS SHOULD HAVE A LIGHTNING SAFETY PLAN, AND THOSE INVOLVED IN THE SPORT (AND THEIR PARENTS) SHOULD UNDERSTAND THE PLAN AND KNOW WHAT TO DO. THE PLAN SHOULD INCLUDE WHERE THE PARTICIPANTS AND SPECTATORS GO FOR SAFETY, WHEN THE EVENT SHOULD BE STOPPED, WHEN THE EVENT SHOULD BE RESUMED, AND WHO IS IN CHARGE OF MAKING WEATHER-RELATED SAFETY DECISIONS. ITS ALSO IMPORTANT TO DESIGNATE A PERSON TO MONITOR CONDITIONS AND TO KEEP THOSE IN CHARGE INFORMED OF WEATHER-RELATED THREATS. THE PLAN SHOULD ALSO ACCOUNT FOR THE TIME REQUIRED TO GET EVERYONE TO SAFETY. WHETHER YOURE OUT FOR A RUN, WATCHING YOUR CHILDS GAME, OR ATTENDING A MAJOR SPORTS EVENT, REMEMBER THAT THERES NO SAFE PLACE OUTSIDE IN A THUNDERSTORM. WHEN THUNDER ROARS, GO INDOORS! QUESTION OF THE DAY...ARE THERE MORE GOLFERS KILLED BY LIGHTNING THAN BY ANY OTHER ACTIVITY? WHILE GOLFING IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN A THUNDERSTORM IS IN THE AREA, DURING THE PAST EIGHT YEARS, SOCCER HAS CONTRIBUTED TO MORE SPORTS-RELATED LIGHTNING FATALITIES THAN GOLF. DURING THAT TIME, GOLF LED TO 8 FATALITIES. THIS COMPARES WITH 12 FOR SOCCER, 5 FOR RUNNING, 3 FOR BASEBALL, AND 1 FOR FOOTBALL. FOR THOSE WHO WORK OUTSIDE DURING THE SUMMER, LIGHTNING IS A POTENTIALLY DEADLY THREAT. WHILE SUMMER IS A GOOD TIME TO COMPLETE OUTSIDE WORK, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO WORK IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT. ANY TIME A THUNDERSTORM IS IN THE AREA, NO PLACE OUTSIDE IS SAFE. BETWEEN 2006 AND 2013, 38 PEOPLE WERE STRUCK AND KILLED BY LIGHTNING IN THE UNITED STATES WHILE AT WORK. ABOUT TWO- THIRDS OF THOSE KILLED WERE FARMERS, RANCHERS, ROOFERS, LAWN CARE WORKERS, OR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS. MANY OF THOSE KILLED WERE SEEKING SHELTER AT THE TIME OF THE DEADLY STRIKE, BUT JUST HADNT STARTED SOON ENOUGH. MANY WORK ACTIVITIES REQUIRE EXTRA TIME TO SHUT DOWN. IN THESE CASES, IT IS IMPORTANT TO MONITOR WEATHER CONDITIONS SO THAT THE WORK ACTIVITIES CAN END AND WORKERS CAN GET TO A SAFE PLACE BEFORE THE LIGHTNING THREAT ARRIVES. SIMILAR TO ALL OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, WORKERS NEED TO STOP WHAT THEY ARE DOING IMMEDIATELY AND GET TO A SAFE PLACE IF THEY HEAR THUNDER. WHEN THUNDER ROARS, GO INDOORS! WHAT DO I DO IF SOMEONE IS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING? LIGHTNING VICTIMS DO NOT CARRY AN ELECTRICAL CHARGE, ARE SAFE TO TOUCH, AND MAY NEED IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION. CARDIAC ARREST IS THE IMMEDIATE CAUSE OF DEATH FOR THOSE WHO DIE. SOME DEATHS CAN BE PREVENTED WITH PROPER FIRST AID. CALL 911 AND THEN GIVE FIRST AID. CPR AND USE OF AN AED (AUTOMATIC EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR) MAY BE NEEDED. LIGHTNING SAFETY AROUND THE HOME ALTHOUGH HOUSES AND OTHER SUBSTANTIAL BUILDING OFFER THE BEST PROTECTION FROM LIGHTNING, EACH YEAR MANY HOMES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES ARE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. IN FACT, ON AVERAGE, LIGHTNING CAUSES ABOUT 4400 HOUSE FIRES AND 1800 OTHER STRUCTURAL FIRES EACH YEAR, SOME OF WHICH ARE DEADLY. ALL TOTALED, LIGHTNING CAUSES NEARLY $1 BILLION IN DAMAGES EACH YEAR. THERE ARE THREE MAIN WAYS LIGHTNING ENTERS HOMES AND BUILDINGS: (1) A DIRECT STRIKE, (2) THROUGH WIRES OR PIPES THAT EXTEND OUTSIDE THE STRUCTURE, AND (3) THROUGH THE GROUND. REGARDLESS OF THE METHOD OF ENTRANCE, ONCE IN A STRUCTURE, THE LIGHTNING CAN TRAVEL THROUGH THE ELECTRICAL AND PHONE WIRES, THE PLUMBING, AND/OR RADIO AND TELEVISION RECEPTION SYSTEMS. INDOOR SAFETY DEPENDS ON AVOIDING CONTACT WITH ITEMS THAT COULD CONDUCT LIGHTNING WITHIN THE HOME. HERE ARE SOME INDOOR SAFETY TIPS TO FOLLOW WHEN A THUNDERSTORM IS IN THE AREA. 1. DONT TOUCH ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT OR CORDS. IF YOU PLAN TO UNPLUG ANY ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT, DO SO WELL BEFORE THE STORM ARRIVES. 2. STAY OFF CORDED PHONES. 3. AVOID CONTACT WITH PLUMBING. DO NOT WASH YOUR HANDS, TAKE A SHOWER, WASH DISHES, OR DO LAUNDRY. 4. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS, AND STAY OFF PORCHES. IN CASE YOUR HOME IS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING: * EVACUATE YOUR HOME IMMEDIATELY IF YOU SMELL SMOKE AND CALL 911. * CALL YOUR LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT AND, IF POSSIBLE, HAVE THEM CHECK FOR HOT SPOTS IN YOUR WALLS WITH THERMAL IMAGING EQUIPMENT. * MAKE SURE ALL SMOKE DETECTORS ARE POWERED AND OPERATING PROPERLY. * IF NEEDED, HAVE A LICENSED ELECTRICIAN CHECK THE WIRING IN YOUR HOME WHAT ARE LIGHTNING RODS AND HOW DO THEY WORK? LIGHTNING RODS PROTECT A HOME FROM A DIRECT LIGHTNING STRIKE, BUT THEY DO NOT PREVENT A HOME FROM BEING STRUCK. THEY ARE DESIGNED TO INTERCEPT LIGHTNING, TO PROVIDE A CONDUCTIVE PATH FOR THE HARMFUL ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE TO FOLLOW, AND TO DISPERSE THE ENERGY SAFELY INTO THE GROUND. WHILE LIGHTNING RODS HELP PROTECT A STRUCTURE FROM A DIRECT LIGHTNING STRIKE, A COMPLETE LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM IS NEEDED TO HELP PREVENT HARMFUL ELECTRICAL SURGES AND POSSIBLE FIRES CAUSED BY LIGHTNING ENTERING A STRUCTURE VIA WIRES AND PIPES. LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEMS SHOULD BE PURCHASED FROM AND INSTALLED BY A CERTIFIED LIGHTNING PROTECTION SPECIALIST. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT LIGHTNING OR LIGHTNING SAFETY, VISIT NOAAS LIGHTNING SAFETY AWARENESS WEB SITE AT: HTTP://WWW.LIGHTNINGSAFETY.NOAA.GOV $$ NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC TONY STUREY
Posted on: Thu, 26 Jun 2014 13:35:24 +0000
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