Lightning Awareness Week

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC
931 AM EDT THU JUN 26 2014

LIGHTNING SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK CONTINUES...

SAFE SHELTERS AND INDOOR SAFETY.

A HOUSE OR OTHER SUBSTANTIAL BUILDING OFFERS THE BEST PROTECTION FROM
LIGHTNING.  IN ASSESSING THE SAFETY PROVIDED BY A PARTICULAR
STRUCTURE...IT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER WHAT HAPPENS IF THE
STRUCTURE GETS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING...RATHER THAN WHETHER THE
STRUCTURE WILL BE HIT BY LIGHTNING.  FOR A SHELTER TO PROVIDE
PROTECTION FROM LIGHTNING...IT MUST CONTAIN A MECHANISM FOR
CONDUCTING THE ELECTRICAL CURRENT FROM THE POINT OF CONTACT TO THE
GROUND. THESE MECHANISMS MAY BE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE
STRUCTURE...MAY BE CONTAINED WITHIN THE WALLS OF THE STRUCTURE...OR
MAY BE A COMBINATION OF THE TWO.  ON THE OUTSIDE...LIGHTNING CAN
TRAVEL ALONG THE OUTER SHELL OF THE BUILDING OR MAY FOLLOW METAL
GUTTERS AND DOWNSPOUTS TO THE GROUND.  INSIDE A
STRUCTURE...LIGHTNING CAN FOLLOW CONDUCTORS SUCH AS THE ELECTRICAL
WIRING...PLUMBING...AND TELEPHONE LINES TO THE GROUND.

UNLESS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO BE LIGHTNING SAFE...SMALL STRUCTURES
DO LITTLE...IF ANYTHING...TO PROTECT OCCUPANTS FROM LIGHTNING.  MANY
SMALL OPEN SHELTERS ON ATHLETIC FIELDS...GOLF
COURSES...PARKS...ROADSIDE PICNIC AREAS...SCHOOLYARDS AND ELSEWHERE
ARE DESIGNED TO PROTECT PEOPLE FROM RAIN AND SUN...BUT NOT
LIGHTNING.  A SHELTER THAT DOES NOT CONTAIN PLUMBING OR WIRING
THROUGHOUT...OR SOME OTHER MECHANISM FOR GROUNDING FROM THE ROOF TO
GROUND IS NOT SAFE.  SMALL WOODEN...VINYL...OR METAL SHEDS OFFER
LITTLE OR NO PROTECTION FROM LIGHTNING AND SHOULD BE AVOIDED DURING
THUNDERSTORMS.

THERE ARE THREE MAIN WAYS LIGHTNING ENTERS HOMES AND BUILDINGS: A
DIRECT STRIKE...THROUGH WIRES OR PIPES THAT EXTEND OUTSIDE THE
STRUCTURE...AND THROUGH THE GROUND.  REGARDLESS OF THE METHOD OF
ENTRANCE...ONCE IN A STRUCTURE...THE LIGHTNING CAN TRAVEL THROUGH
THE ELECTRICAL...PHONE...PLUMBING...AND RADIO OR TELEVISION
RECEPTION SYSTEMS. LIGHTNING CAN ALSO TRAVEL THROUGH ANY METAL WIRES
OR BARS IN CONCRETE WALLS OR FLOORING.

PHONE USE IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF INDOOR LIGHTNING INJURIES IN THE
UNITED STATES. LIGHTNING CAN TRAVEL LONG DISTANCES IN BOTH PHONE AND
ELECTRICAL WIRES...PARTICULARLY IN RURAL AREAS.  STAY AWAY FROM
WINDOWS AND DOORS AS THESE CAN PROVIDE THE PATH FOR A DIRECT STRIKE
TO ENTER A HOME.  DO NOT LIE ON THE CONCRETE FLOOR OF A GARAGE AS IT
LIKELY CONTAINS A WIRE MESH.  IN GENERAL...BASEMENTS ARE A SAFE
PLACE TO GO DURING THUNDERSTORMS.  HOWEVER...THERE ARE SOME THINGS
TO KEEP IN MIND. AVOID CONTACT WITH CONCRETE WALLS WHICH MAY CONTAIN
METAL REINFORCING BARS.  AVOID WASHERS AND DRYERS SINCE THEY NOT
ONLY HAVE CONTACTS WITH THE PLUMBING AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS...BUT
ALSO CONTAIN AN ELECTRICAL PATH TO THE OUTSIDE THROUGH THE DRYER
VENT.

LIGHTNING ALSO CAUSES SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO PERSONAL PROPERTY EACH
YEAR.  IN ADDITION TO DIRECT STRIKES...LIGHTNING GENERATES
ELECTRICAL SURGES THAT CAN DAMAGE ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT SOME DISTANCE
FROM THE ACTUAL STRIKE.  TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE...UNPLUG ANY
APPLIANCES OR ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT FROM ALL CONDUCTORS WELL BEFORE A
THUNDERSTORM THREATENS.  AND...DON`T FORGET TO DISCONNECT
TELEVISIONS OR RADIOS FROM OUTDOOR ANTENNAS!  IF YOU PLAN TO BE AWAY
FROM YOUR HOME WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE...BE SURE TO UNPLUG
UNNEEDED EQUIPMENT BEFORE YOU LEAVE.

SUMMARY OF LIGHTNING SAFETY TIPS FOR INSIDE THE HOME

AVOID CONTACT WITH CORDED PHONES.
AVOID CONTACT WITH ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT OR CORDS.  IF YOU PLAN TO
UNPLUG ANY ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT...DO SO WELL BEFORE THE STORM
ARRIVES. AVOID CONTACT WITH PLUMBING.  DO NOT WASH YOUR HANDS...DO
NOT TAKE A SHOWER...DO NOT WASH DISHES...AND DO NOT DO LAUNDRY.
STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS...AND STAY OFF PORCHES. DO NOT LIE
ON CONCRETE FLOORS AND DO NOT LEAN AGAINST CONCRETE WALLS.


LIGHTNING FACT FOR THE DAY:  THE AVERAGE FLASH OF LIGHTNING CONTAINS
ENOUGH ELECTRICITY TO LIGHT A 100 WATT LIGHT BULB FOR MORE THAN 3
MONTHS.


LIGHTNING QUESTION OF THE DAY: IS IT SAFE TO TALK ON A CORDLESS PHONE
DURING A THUNDERSTORM.

ANSWER:  COMPARED TO TALKING ON STANDARD PHONE WITH A CORD...THE
CORDLESS PHONE IS MUCH LESS OF A HAZARD.  HOWEVER...THERE IS THE
RISK OF BEING STRUCK BY LIGHTNING DURING THE MOMENT OF CONTACT WHEN
THE PHONE IS BEING REMOVED FROM THE CRADLE.  IN ADDITION...THE PHONE
SHOULD ONLY BE USED IN A SAFE PLACE...THE PHONE`S ANTENNA PRESENTS
AN INCREASED HAZARD IF USED OUTSIDE...NEAR A WINDOW...OR NEAR
ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS IN THE HOME.

REFERENCE...   HTTP://WWW.LIGHTNINGSAFETY.NOAA.GOV/