June 21 is the official start of summer. The State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and the National Weather Service (NWS) set the week of June 21-27, 2009, for the Summer Severe Weather campaign. This Summer Weather Safety Campaign focuses on heat, lightning, flood safety and weather radio information to keep people safe during the peak vacation and outdoor recreation season.
Lightning, the Underrated Problem
According to statistics kept by the National Weather Service, the 30 year average for lightning fatalities across the country is 61. Lightning usually claims only one or two victims at a time, and because lightning does not cause mass destruction, unlike a tornado event or a hurricane, lightning generally receives much less attention than the more destructive storm-related events.
Due to under reporting, it is estimated that, more realistically, about 100 - 120 deaths per year occur because of lightning.
Documented lightning injuries in the United States average 300 per year; however undocumented lightning injuries are likely much higher.
In Missouri there have been 88 deaths attributed to lightning from 1959 - 2006, an average of 2 deaths per year. This is right behind the average of 3 deaths per year caused by tornadoes. Missouri ranks 21st nationally in lightning deaths per state.
Lightning Safety
Outdoors
• Remember, lightning can strike up to 10 miles from the rain area. Go quickly inside a completely enclosed building before the storm arrives. Do not go to a carport, open garage, covered patio or open window. A hard topped, all metal vehicle also provides good protection
• If no shelter is available, do not take shelter under a tree. Avoid being the tallest object in the area. If only isolated trees are nearby, crouch down on the balls of your feet in the open, keeping twice as far away from a tree as it is tall.
• Get out of the water, off the beach, and out of small boats or canoes. Avoid standing in puddles of water even if wearing rubber boots.
• Do not use metal objects such as golf clubs, metal bats, fishing rods, or metal tools.
• Stop tractor work and heavy construction equipment, especially when pulling metal equipment.
Indoors
• Stay there! The best protection from lightning is a house or other substantial building. However, stay away from windows, doors and metal pipes.
• Do not use electric appliances during the storm. Turn off sensitive equipment such as televisions, VCR’s and computers.
• Telephone use is the leading cause of indoor lightning injuries in the United States. Do not make a call unless it is an emergency.
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