Colorado Lightning Safety and Wildfire Awareness Week
LIGHTNING KILLS: PLAY IT SAFE!
THIS WEEK NOAA’S NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS TEAMING UP WITH THE COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE TO HOST COLORADO LIGHTNING SAFETY AND WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS WEEK. EACH YEAR IN COLORADO MORE PEOPLE ARE KILLED OR INJURED BY LIGHTNING THAN BY FLOODS OR TORNADOES. LIGHTNING INJURIES CAN BE SERIOUS...AND HAVE LASTING IMPACTS ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE INJURED PERSON. LIGHTNING ALSO STARTS HALF OF THE WILDFIRES IN COLORADO.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOCAL OFFICES WILL PROVIDE STATEMENTS EACH DAY THIS WEEK ON A VARIETY OF LIGHTNING AND WILDFIRE ISSUES:
MONDAY...LIGHTNING OVERVIEW
TUESDAY...THE SCIENCE OF THUNDERSTORMS AND LIGHTNING
WEDNESDAY...LIGHTNING SAFETY OUTSIDE
THURSDAY...LIGHTNING SAFETY INSIDE
FRIDAY...MEDICAL ISSUES OF LIGHTNING INJURIES
SATURDAY...LIGHTNING AND WILDFIRES
INFORMATION ABOUT LIGHTNING SAFETY AND WILDFIRE AWARENESS WEEK IS AVAILABLE ON THE NWS LIGHTNING SAFETY WEBSITE AT: HTTP://WWW.LIGHTNINGSAFETY.NOAA.GOV. THIS SITE CONTAINS A WEALTH OF INFORMATION ABOUT LIGHTNING SAFETY AND PROVIDES INSIGHT TO THE SCIENCE AND MEDICAL ASPECTS OF LIGHTNING. THERE ARE ALSO OUTREACH MATERIALS, INCLUDING POSTERS AND PUBLIC SAFETY ANNOUNCEMENTS, TO ASSIST WITH LIGHTNING SAFETY AWARENESS EFFORTS.
SOME LIGHTNING SAFETY TIPS:
• KEEP AN EYE ON THE SKY. LOOK FOR DARKENING SKIES, FLASHES OF LIGHTNING, OR INCREASING WIND, WHICH MAY BE SIGNS OF AN APPROACHING THUNDERSTORM. GET TO A SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY IF A THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES. COACHES AND OTHER LEADERS SHOULD LISTEN TO NOAA ALL HAZARDS WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST FORECASTS AND WARNINGS DURING PRACTICE SESSIONS AND GAMES.
• DO NOT WAIT FOR RAIN TO POSTPONE OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES: MANY PEOPLE TAKE SHELTER FROM THE RAIN, BUT MOST PEOPLE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING ARE NOT IN THE RAIN. GO QUICKLY INSIDE A COMPLETELY ENCLOSED BUILDING, NOT A CARPORT, OPEN GARAGE, DUG OUT, OR COVERED PATIO. IF NO ENCLOSED BUILDING IS NEARBY, GET INSIDE A HARD-TOPPED ALL-METAL VEHICLE AND REMAIN THERE UNTIL THE STORM HAS SAFELY PASSED.
• PLACES TO AVOID INCLUDE: UNDER OR CLOSE TO TREES; SHEDS; PICNIC SHELTERS; BASEBALL/SOFTBALL DUGOUTS; BLEACHERS; BEACHES; AND OPEN FIELDS. IF THERE IS NO SHELTER AVAILABLE AND LIGHTNING THREATENS, CROUCH IN THE OPEN ON THE BALLS OF YOUR FEET AND COVER YOUR EARS. KEEP TWICE AS FAR AWAY FROM A TREE AS IT IS TALL. ALSO STAY AWAY FROM CLOTHES LINES, FENCES, EXPOSED SHEDS, AND ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE ELEVATED OBJECTS.
• GET OUT OF THE WATER, IT IS A GREAT CONDUCTOR OF ELECTRICITY. STAY OFF THE BEACH AND OUT OF SMALL BOATS OR CANOES. IF CAUGHT IN A BOAT, CROUCH DOWN IN THE CENTER AWAY FROM METAL HARDWARE. SWIMMING, WADING, SNORKLING, AND SCUBA DIVING ARE NOT SAFE.
