Lightning Safety Tips and Precautions
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There were already countless number of incidents around the world involving people who were unfortunate enough to be accidentally struck by lightning. To tell you, lightning strike incidents can actually be avoided if people would only follow the simple set of rules regarding about "Lightning Safety Tips and Precautions".
Here are the following safety tips and precautions issued by the NWS (National Weather Service) in times of an occurring thunderstorm:
1. Get Inside the House or Take Shelter
The best way to avoid being struck by lightning is to get inside your house before the thunderstorm becomes worse. If you are away from your house and you got caught by a bad thunderstorm, try to seek shelter such as inside the building, restaurants and other places that welcomes ordinary individuals.
Do not stay inside your vehicle. There are some reports of lightning incidents regarding about a victim that got struck by lightning while inside his car.
2. Avoid Using your Telephone
Lightning is a form of electricity which makes it able to travel through cables such as telephone wires. Due to this reason, you should avoid using your telephone (specifically the "corded" type of telephone) during a bad thunderstorm.
If you really need to call because it's an emergency, it's best to use your mobile phone.
3. Do not Stand Under a Post
Scientists had already proven several times that a rod pointing upward do have high chances of attracting lightning. Thus, you should avoid standing under "natural lightning rods" such as tall isolated trees, flag poles and etc...
4. Avoid Projecting in an Open Area
If a thunderstorm is about to occur, you have to stay away from an open area. Some example of an open area are on the beach, football field and at the sea. You have to know that lightning has the characteristics of searching natural lightning rod to strike from the ground. Simply standing or walking around on an open field puts you at a very high risk of being hit by a lightning.
5. Avoid the Open Water Areas
The most interesting fact about lightning strikes is that, this powerful electrical force of nature hits the surface of the water more often than the ground. So if it happens that you are swimming (on the beach or large pool), there are good chances that you will be struck by lightning.
6. Get away from any Metallic Objects
When you are at an open field such as on a land-farm, you have to get away from any of the farming equipments around. On the golf field, you have to put down your golf clubs. If you are on a highway, get away from small vehicles such as motorcycles, scooters or bicycles.
7. Stay away from Conductor Materials
Conductors are type of materials that allows electrical current to flow through them. Some examples of conductor materials are wire fences, clotheslines, pipes and other objects around your surroundings that are made out of metals.
If lightning had struck a conductor materials and it happens that you are holding on it (perhaps at the other end), the electrical current will also flow through your body. As a result, you will be electrocuted.
8. Stay away from Isolated small Structures
Taking shelter in a small isolated shed or structure during a bad thunderstorm is really not a good idea.
9. Take Shelter under Thick Small Trees
If you got caught in the middle of a terrible thunderstorm somewhere in the forest, it is best advised that you should take shelter under thick-growth small trees.
10. Go to Low Places
Assuming that you got caught by a thunderstorm on a certain open field and there are no shelter around nearby, your best chances is to run towards the lowest place such as the ravine or valley. Although, you have to watch out for a flash flood which could possibly occur.
11. Drop Down to your Knees
Still on the situation that you are caught on the open field (above) but this time, running towards the ravine or valley is too late (or there are none of them). Your last option is to drop down to your knees then bend forward putting your hands right on your knees. And perhaps, pray.
According to the experts, if you feel that your hair are standing on their ends, it means that a lightning is about to strike you down (or something nearby). If you suddenly feel such tingling sensation on your hair, it is suggested that you should immediately perform the position describe above.
For any additional advice about lightning safety tips and precautions that has not mentioned on this post, please do suggest them on the Comment Form provided below.
Here are the following safety tips and precautions issued by the NWS (National Weather Service) in times of an occurring thunderstorm:
1. Get Inside the House or Take Shelter
The best way to avoid being struck by lightning is to get inside your house before the thunderstorm becomes worse. If you are away from your house and you got caught by a bad thunderstorm, try to seek shelter such as inside the building, restaurants and other places that welcomes ordinary individuals.
Do not stay inside your vehicle. There are some reports of lightning incidents regarding about a victim that got struck by lightning while inside his car.
2. Avoid Using your Telephone
Lightning is a form of electricity which makes it able to travel through cables such as telephone wires. Due to this reason, you should avoid using your telephone (specifically the "corded" type of telephone) during a bad thunderstorm.
If you really need to call because it's an emergency, it's best to use your mobile phone.
3. Do not Stand Under a Post
Scientists had already proven several times that a rod pointing upward do have high chances of attracting lightning. Thus, you should avoid standing under "natural lightning rods" such as tall isolated trees, flag poles and etc...
4. Avoid Projecting in an Open Area
If a thunderstorm is about to occur, you have to stay away from an open area. Some example of an open area are on the beach, football field and at the sea. You have to know that lightning has the characteristics of searching natural lightning rod to strike from the ground. Simply standing or walking around on an open field puts you at a very high risk of being hit by a lightning.
5. Avoid the Open Water Areas
The most interesting fact about lightning strikes is that, this powerful electrical force of nature hits the surface of the water more often than the ground. So if it happens that you are swimming (on the beach or large pool), there are good chances that you will be struck by lightning.
6. Get away from any Metallic Objects
When you are at an open field such as on a land-farm, you have to get away from any of the farming equipments around. On the golf field, you have to put down your golf clubs. If you are on a highway, get away from small vehicles such as motorcycles, scooters or bicycles.
7. Stay away from Conductor Materials
Conductors are type of materials that allows electrical current to flow through them. Some examples of conductor materials are wire fences, clotheslines, pipes and other objects around your surroundings that are made out of metals.
If lightning had struck a conductor materials and it happens that you are holding on it (perhaps at the other end), the electrical current will also flow through your body. As a result, you will be electrocuted.
8. Stay away from Isolated small Structures
Taking shelter in a small isolated shed or structure during a bad thunderstorm is really not a good idea.
9. Take Shelter under Thick Small Trees
If you got caught in the middle of a terrible thunderstorm somewhere in the forest, it is best advised that you should take shelter under thick-growth small trees.
10. Go to Low Places
Assuming that you got caught by a thunderstorm on a certain open field and there are no shelter around nearby, your best chances is to run towards the lowest place such as the ravine or valley. Although, you have to watch out for a flash flood which could possibly occur.
11. Drop Down to your Knees
Still on the situation that you are caught on the open field (above) but this time, running towards the ravine or valley is too late (or there are none of them). Your last option is to drop down to your knees then bend forward putting your hands right on your knees. And perhaps, pray.
According to the experts, if you feel that your hair are standing on their ends, it means that a lightning is about to strike you down (or something nearby). If you suddenly feel such tingling sensation on your hair, it is suggested that you should immediately perform the position describe above.
For any additional advice about lightning safety tips and precautions that has not mentioned on this post, please do suggest them on the Comment Form provided below.
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