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If you can see lightning or hear thunder you are already at risk! Most lightning injuries and fatalities occur when people are caught outdoors in the summer months during the afternoon and evening.
Determine the danger: If you are outdoors when you see or hear a thunderstorm coming or your hair stands on end, immediately stop your activities and seek safe shelter immediately! Flash-to-bang:
30/30 Rule The first 30 means if, between flash and bang, you count to 30 or less, you are in danger and should go to safe shelter. The second 30 means wait 30 minutes from the last flash or thunder to establish "all clear." |
Outdoor safety:
If caught outdoors and no shelter is nearby:
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Indoor safety: Utility lines and metal pipes can conduct electricity.
No place is completely safe from lightning, but some places are safer than others. Although some victims are struck directly by the main lightning stroke, many victims are struck as the current moves in and along the ground. |
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH:
Severe thunderstorms
are possible in your area - be alert.
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING:
A Severe thunderstorm
has been reported or indicated by radar with possible hail, high winds, lightning
and heavy rain - take necessary precautions at once.
Links to other Lightning Safety pages:
NSSL lightning
research
Billy and Maria coloring books
Lightning
Kills, Play it Safe (National
Weather Service)
Thunderstorms...Tornadoes...Lightning (NOAA,
Red Cross, FEMA) [pdf]
Disaster
Services foreign language materials (American Red Cross)