Lightning Safety: Braving the Bolt
- by Sduehring
Table of Contents
When the natural symphony of thunderstorms unfolds, it’s an awe-inspiring spectacle. But the bright bursts of lightning in the sky aren’t just a cool thing to watch. They can be dangerous. The National Weather Service says that lightning strikes cause many people to die or get hurt every year. This blog post aims to demystify lightning safety and outline crucial first aid procedures to ensure you’re prepared and safe during thunderstorm events.
Understanding Lightning and Its Dangers
Lightning is an electric discharge caused by imbalances between storm clouds and the ground or within the clouds themselves. It strikes rapidly, within a blink of an eye, often making it unpredictable and extremely dangerous.
When a person is struck by lightning, the electrical current can pass through the body, causing severe injury, cardiac arrest, or death. It’s not just the direct strike that is hazardous; lightning can injure in several ways:
- Direct strike: This is the least common but deadly lightning strike.
- Side flash occurs when lightning strikes a taller object near the victim, and a portion of the current jumps from the object to the person.
- Ground current: When lightning strikes a tree or other object, energy can spread across the ground, causing anyone nearby to be struck.
- Conduction: Lightning can travel long distances in wires or other metal surfaces. Anyone in contact with anything connected to metal wires, plumbing, or metal surfaces that extend outside is at risk.
- Streamers: These are branches of a lightning bolt that disperse into the air while the main channel strikes the ground. They are rare but deadly.
Understanding the nature and dangers of lightning is crucial to knowing how to protect oneself from lightning.
Lightning Safety: Prevention is Key
When thunder roars, go indoors. This catchy phrase is the critical message of lightning safety, emphasizing that the best way to avoid injury is to seek shelter when you hear thunder.
Seek shelter: You’re at risk if you can see lightning or hear thunder. Safely shelter inside a substantial building or in a hard-topped vehicle.
Stay away from windows and doors: Lightning can seep into the house through wires and pipes, so avoid contact with anything that conducts electricity, including corded phones and appliances, electrical equipment, wires, TV cables, plumbing, metal doors, and windows.
If you’re outside with no shelter: Avoid high grounds, water, tall isolated trees, and metal objects such as fences or bleachers. If you’re in a group, spread out from each other to avoid multiple casualties.
Wait before going out: After the last clap of thunder, wait at least 30 minutes before leaving your shelter.
First Aid for Lightning Strike Victims
Lightning strikes can lead to cardiac arrest, burns, and neurological injuries. As terrifying as this may sound, it’s essential to remember lightning safety and that lightning strike victims do not carry an electrical charge and can be safely touched.
- Call for help: Dial your country’s emergency service number. In the U.S., this is 911.
- Start CPR: If the person is unresponsive and not breathing regularly, begin Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). Press hard and fast in the center of the chest at a rate of 100-120 compressions per minute, allowing for chest recoil each time.
- Treat for shock: If the person is breathing, keep them calm and comfortable. Cover them with a blanket to maintain body heat.
- Check for burns: Lightning strikes can cause both internal and external burns. Look for charred clothing or visible burns on their skin.
The Aftermath
The aftermath of a lightning strike can be psychologically distressing for survivors. They can have trouble remembering things, paying attention, sleeping, feeling constant pain, and their personalities may change. Mental health support is just as crucial as physical first aid.
Understanding lightning and its dangers, knowing the preventive measures, and learning the correct lightning safety first aid procedures can save lives. This potentially lethal force of nature shouldn’t be underestimated. Be smart, be safe, and remember: When thunder roars, go indoors.
Conclusion
In the ballet of nature’s fury, lightning can be one of the most dazzling yet dangerous performers. But with knowledge and preparedness, you can reduce the risks and ensure the safety of those around you.
If you are part of a business or an organization, consider investing in onsite CPR and first aid training. The lifesaving skills can be used in everyday situations that can happen anywhere; work, home, or community.
By offering this training, your team will have the knowledge and confidence to respond effectively to medical emergencies, from choking incidents to heart attacks and, yes, even lightning safety. You never know when these skills might be needed, and the time taken to learn them could result in saved lives.
We will bring the First Aid training to you. Our certified instructors will provide your team comprehensive, hands-on training using the most up-to-date methods and equipment.
Make safety a priority. Equip your team with the tools to protect and support each other. Contact us today to learn more about our onsite CPR and first aid training services. Let us help you be prepared for anything. Remember: Safety doesn’t happen by accident. It’s a choice. Choose to be safe.
