Greenbook: A Local Guide to Chesapeake Living - Issue 8 | Page 58
Lightning Safety:
MYTHS VS. FACTS
With 1,800 thunderstorms in progress at any given time on Earth, it’s
important to be able to sort out the myths from the facts when it comes
to lightning safety. And keep in mind that the best lightning safety plan
of all is to take shelter in a house or other structure, or a hard-topped
fully enclosed vehicle during a storm: “When thunder roars, go indoors!”
MYTH 1 – LIGHTNING NEVER
STRIKES THE SAME PLACE TWICE
Fact: Lightning often strikes the same
place repeatedly, especially if it’s a tall,
pointy, isolated object. The Empire
State Building was once used as a lightning laboratory, because it’s hit nearly
25 times per year, and has been known
to have been hit up to a dozen times
during a single storm.
MYTH 2 – LIGHTNING ONLY
STRIKES THE TALLEST OBJECTS
Fact: Lightning is indiscriminate and it
can find you anywhere. Lightning hits
the ground instead of trees, cars instead
of nearby telephone poles, and parking
lots instead of buildings.
MYTH 3 – IN A THUNDERSTORM,
IT’S OK TO GO UNDER A TREE TO
STAY DRY
Fact: Sheltering under a tree is just about
the worst thing you can do. If lightning
does hit the tree, there’s the chance that
a “ground charge” will spread out from
the tree in all directions. Being underneath a tree is the second leading cause
of lightning casualties.
MYTH 4 – IF YOU DON’T SEE
CLOUDS OR RAIN, YOU'RE SAFE
Fact: Lightning can often strike more
than three miles from the thunderstorm, far outside the rain or even the
thunderstorm cloud. “Bolts from the
Blue,” though infrequent, can strike
10/15 miles from the thunderstorm. An-
vil lightning can strike the ground over
50 miles from the thunderstorm, under
extreme conditions.
MYTH 5 – A CAR WITH RUBBER
TIRES WILL PROTECT YOU FROM
LIGHTNING
Fact: Most vehicles are safe because the
metal roof and sides divert lightning
around you. The rubber tires have little
to do with protecting you. Keep in mind
that convertibles, motorcycles, bikes,
open shelled outdoor recreation vehicles, and cars with plastic or fiberglass
shells offer no lightning protection at all.
MYTH 6 – IF YOU’RE OUTSIDE IN A
STORM, LIE FLAT ON THE GROUND
Fact: Lying flat on the ground makes
you more vulnerable to electrocution,
not less. Lightning generates potentially deadly electrical currents along the
ground in all directions, which are more
likely to reach you if you’re lying down.
MYTH 7 – IF YOU TOUCH A
LIGHTNING VICTIM, YOU’LL BE
ELECTROCUTED
Fact: The human body doesn’t store
electricity. It is perfectly safe to touch a
lightning victim to give them first aid.
MYTH 8 – WEARING METAL ON
YOUR BODY ATTRACTS LIGHTNING
Fact: The presence of metal makes
virtually no difference in determining where lightning will strike; height,
pointy shape and isolation are the
dominant factors. However, touching
or being near long metal objects, such
as a fence, can be unsafe when thunderstorms are nearby—if lightning does
happen to hit one area of the fence, for
example, the metal can conduct the
electricity and electrocute you, even at
a fairly long distance
MYTH 9 – A HOUSE WILL ALWAYS
KEEP YOU SAFE FROM LIGHTNING
Fact: While a house is the safest place
you can be during a storm, just going
inside isn’t enough. You must avoid
any conducting path leading outside,
such as corded telephones, electrical
appliances, wires, TV cables, plumbing, metal doors or window frames, etc.
Don’t stand near a window to watch the
lightning. An inside room is generally
safe, but a home equipped with a professionally installed lightning protection
system is the safest shelter available.
MYTH 10 – SURGE SUPPRESSORS
CAN PROTECT A HOME AGAINST
LIGHTNING
Fact: Surge arresters and suppressors
are important components of a complete lightning protection system, but
can do nothing to protect a structure
against a direct lightning strike. These
items must be installed in conjunction
with a lightning protection system to
provide whole house protection.