by Curtis D. Tucker
Posted: 03/09/16
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Spring in Oklahoma brings thunderstorms and lightning. Many more people than you would expect are called each year by lightning although the numbers are low in the US. Here are some tips to keep you safe this storm season in Enid and anywhere there might be lightning storms.
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The chance of being struck by lightning is only about 1 in 500,000 in a given year, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Almost 30 people a year are killed in the United States by lightning strikes and many more are injured. The number of deaths has been declining over the decades due to better education. More people die or are injured by lightning in the summer months than any other time of the year.
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The average U.S. cloud-to-ground lightning strikes per year is around 25 million. Most lightning fatalities occur at the onset of a storm before people are aware of the hazard. Lightning can strike miles away from the storm. Lightning can enter a building with a direct strike to the structure, through wires and pipes or through the ground.
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Tips To Stay Safe When Lightning Is Near
• Avoid being in a boat or fishing.
• In case of thunderstorms, postpone trips and outdoor activities.
• When you hear thunder, move indoors.
• Picnic pavilions, car ports and tents are not secure locations.
• Keep car windows closed. Avoid touching metal if in the vehicle.
• Avoid standing under an isolated tree or near anything that stands tall.
• Do not stand on a beach.
• Avoid concrete floors or walls. Many contain metal wires or bars.
• Don’t use corded telephones, they conduct electricity.
• Lightning can travel through plumbing, so stay away from sinks, tubs and faucets.
• Avoid bodies of water like ponds, pools and lakes.
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Share this with family and friends and let's all be safe this storm season!
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