Lightning Safety

During the summer or rainy season as we also call this time of year, it is common to have thunderstorms in the afternoon.  Sometimes these storms get severe, and just the other day, 2 teens were struck by lightning in the Clearwater Beach area of Florida. On average, 49 people are killed each year by lightning strikes.

Some things you can do to keep you and your family safe from lightning during storms inside are:

• If your house does have a land line, stay off of the telephone.
• Turn off electrical appliances such as televisions and computers.
• Lightning can travel through plumbing, so don’t shower or use toilets or sinks.
• Keep away from windows.

Tips to keep safe outside:

• Keep away from open areas such as golf courses, beaches or fields, and if you can’t avoid it, try to make yourself the smallest/shortest object around.
• Stay out of the water.
• Don’t touch things that are wet.
• Check the weather forecast prior to boating and beaching.

And remember – When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors.

More safety tips can be found at the National Weather Service website.