Lightning Safety Lightning--The Underrated Thunderstorm Hazard Dr. Hamid K. Rassoul Director, Geospace Physics Laboratory Florida Tech, Melbourne, Florida [email protected]Acknowledgment: Slides are from 45 th Weather Squadron --Mr. William P. Roeder Physics of Atmosphere Class – Florida Tech
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Lightning Safety Lightning--The Underrated Thunderstorm Hazard Dr. Hamid K. Rassoul Director, Geospace Physics Laboratory Florida Tech, Melbourne, Florida.
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3030 Seconds:People Don’t RealizeThe Long DistancesLightning Can Strike
30 Minutes:People Don’t RealizeHow LongLightning Can Linger
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(Similar Across U.S.)
‘LSG’ Recommendations (con’t.)
30 Seconds/30 Minutes:People Don’t ReactTo Low Flash Rates Well
Courtesy of NWS/Melbourne
3030
(Similar Across U.S.)
• Safety For Individuals (con’t.)
• “30 / 30 Rule” -- Poor Protection For . . .
• Thunderstorms Forming Near-By
• If First Lightning Is Ground Strike
• 23% In East Central Florida
• A Significant Fraction Of Time, Even If First Lightning Is Aloft, Seek Shelter Immediately, Next Bolt Could Be Aimed At You!
• Watch The Skies, Take Shelter Before First Lightning
‘LSG’ Recommendations (con’t.)
• Safety For Individuals (con’t.)
• Watch Weather Forecasts• www.srh.noaa.gov/mlb
• Use NOAA Weather Radio & Creditable Lightning Detectors• Don’t Let It Override Good Sense
• Be Aware Of Local Weather--Use Good Sense
‘LSG’ Recommendations (con’t.)
‘LSG’ Recommendations (con’t.)
• Proceed To Safest Spot Possible
• Lightning Is Imminent If . . .• Tingling Skin, Hair Sticking Out, “Kee-Kee” Sound Metal Vibrating (Zippers, Golf Clubs, Etc.), St. Elmo’s Fire
• If Lightning Is Imminent . . .• Separate From Others By Several Body Lengths• Use “Lightning Crouch”
• Balance Between Low Height & Little Area Touching Ground
• Do NOT Lie Flat On Ground!
• Proceed To Safest Spot Possible
• Lightning Is Imminent If . . .• Tingling Skin, Hair Sticking Out, “Kee-Kee” Sound Metal Vibrating (Zippers, Golf Clubs, Etc.), St. Elmo’s Fire
• If Lightning Is Imminent . . .• Separate From Others By Several Body Lengths• Use “Lightning Crouch”
• Balance Between Low Height & Little Area Touching Ground
• Do NOT Lie Flat On Ground!LAST RESORT!
LAST RESORT!
LAST RESORT!
LAST RESORT!
• Safety For Individuals (con’t.)
LAST RESORT!
• If Trapped In An Unsafe Location . . .• If Trapped In An Unsafe Location . . .
‘LSG’ Recommendations (con’t.)
• Safety For Small Groups (Evacuation Time < 10 Min)• Action Plan Must Be Known By All In Advance
• Pre-Identify / Inform Everyone Of Safe Shelters• Leaders / Other Adults Must Be Responsible For Children
• Monitor Weather Forecasts Beforehand• Designate A Person To Monitor Weather Throughout Activity
• If No One Appointed, No One Will Do It! • Continually Observe The Local Weather
• Remember ‘30 / 30 Rule’• Use NOAA Weather Radio & Lightning Detectors• Inform Everyone As Potential Threats Develop• Implement Action Plan• ‘30 / 30 Rule’ Can Be Used To Decide To Resume Activity
• Don’t Jump The Gun To Restart!
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‘LSG’ Recommendations (con’t.)
‘Florida Today’ (26 Apr 99)
Sports Has FastestRising Lightning
Casualty Rate
‘Soccer Moms & Dads’, Please Note!
Don’t “Tough It Out”, Postpone The Game!
Remember Congo, Oct 98 11 People Killed In Soccer Match!
‘LSG’ Recommendations (con’t.)
• Safety For Large Groups (Evacuation Time > 10 Min)
• Action Plan Must Be Known In Advance
• Adults Must Be Responsible For Children In Their Care
• Rest Very Similar To ‘Safety For Small Groups’.
• But Allow Longer Lead-Times To Evacuate Larger Groups
• Extend “Warning” Range
• Be Prepared For More False Alarms Due to Isolated Thunderstorms, That Attendees May Never See
• Forewarned Is Very Much Forearmed!
• Lightning May Strike Many Miles From Edge Of Thunderstorm
• Acceptable Downtime Must Be Balanced With Risk Of Life
• Accepting Responsibility For Larger Groups Of People Requires More Sophistication And Diligence
‘LSG’ Recommendations (con’t.)
• Important Components Of An Action Plan
• Event Managers Designate Person(s) As Weather Monitor
• Monitoring Should Begin Hours, Even Days, Before Event
• Forewarned Is Very Much Forearmed!
• Protocol Needed Beforehand On Notifying Attendees
• A Team May Be Needed To Implement / Coordinate Evacuation, Depending On Size Of Crowd
• Pre-Identify / Inform All Of Safe Shelters And Routes
• Buses Are Good Shelter And Can Be Pre-Positioned
• “All Clear” Must Be Pre-Identified And Be Considerably Different Than “Warning Signal”
• Periodically Review / Train / Drill Action Plan
SOAP
‘LSG’ Recommendations (con’t.)
• First-Aid For Lightning Victims
• Call ‘911’
• Don’t Expose Yourself To Risk
• If In High Risk Area With Continuing Thunderstorm, Stay In Shelter
• Usually Okay To Move Lightning Victim From High Risk To Lower Risk Area
• Contrary To Normal First-Aid, But Lightning Rarely Causes Major Fractures / Internal Damage, Unless Person Fell Or Thrown
• Minimize Your Exposure To Lightning Risk
‘LSG’ Recommendations (con’t.)
Dr. Cooper, M.D.Univ Illinois, Chicago
• First-Aid For Lightning Victims (con’t.)
• If Not Breathing / No Pulse, Apply Mouth-To-Mouth Resuscitation / CPR
• If Moving Victim, Give A few Breaths First
• Still Give CPR, If Unconscious With Intermittent Spasmodic Gasping And Widely Spaced Pulse (~10 sec)
• Agonistic Breathing -- Oxygen Not Getting To Brain
• If Outside, Beware Hypothermia
• If Victim Recovers, Usually Happens In A Few Minutes
‘LSG’ Recommendations (con’t.)
• MYTH: Lightning Is Guaranteed Death
• Only ~ 10% Killed
• MYTH!: Lightning Victim Is Electrified--Don’t Touch, Or Be Electrocuted
• It Is Safe To Apply First-Aid!
• High Chance Of Success!
• But Beware Downed Live Wires In Thunderstorms; Touching Victim Then Is Dangerous
‘LSG’ Recommendations (con’t.)
• MYTH: Lightning Instantly Turns You Into A Burnt Corpse