How to Protect Yourself From Lightning

Lightning kills nearly 100 people in the United States each year, and injures another 300. Most of these tragedies can be prevented. Take the time to understand the risk and protect yourself and your home so you do not become the next victim.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Surge Protectors
• Battery Radios

1. Get indoors - your best bet when a storm is predicted is to be inside, with all of your windows and doors closed.

2. Stay off the phone during a storm. This is because the electrical surges caused by lightning can enter your home right through the telephone line or the electrical wiring.

3. Avoid metal pipes, since these can be conductors for lightning.

4. Don't take a shower, wash your hands, wash dishes or use water in any other way if you think lightning is imminent - so you won't be electrocuted.

5. Turn off all your appliances (including computers, television sets and power tools) and unplug them.

6. Understand that you don't have to be in the heart of the storm to be in danger. The fact is that a bolt of lightning, which is five times hotter than the sun's surface, can strike as far as 10 miles away from where a storm is situated.

7. Use a surge protector (a special safety plug unit available at discount and hardware stores) to protect specific items, such as your computer, air conditioner and other electrical appliances. This will automatically shut down the electricity if lightning strikes, to prevent fires as well as damage to individual items.

8. Protect your entire house with lightning suppressors, which are special devices that can diminish the damage caused by a bolt. Use them on your electrical system, your television and cable antennas, and your phone system.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't underestimate the strength of lightning. One bolt is strong enough to illuminate a 100-watt lightbulb for three months.
• Since many lightning-related incidents occur outside, listen to the weather forecast before you plan any outdoor activities.
• If you cannot get to your house or another safe building when a storm hits, wait it out inside a car or van with a hard top.
• If you are caught outside in an open area during a storm, stay away from trees, metal light poles, metal bleachers, metal fences, field goalposts or metal soccer goalposts. When lightning hits these objects, its charge moves through the metal, and can shock you if you come into contact with it.
• Take a first aid course so you will know how to respond if someone is struck by lightning. Most lightning victims can be saved with proper treatment.
• If your hair suddenly stands on end, it could mean that you are about to be struck by lightning. To protect yourself, drop to your knees with your hands on them and bend forward. Never lie flat on the ground.

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[raefl]

on 3/31/2009 Good article. Thanks. Very thorough.

on 2/15/2006 When you see a bad storm coming up, don't be near a tree, don't be in high places, and don't be in or near water.

on 11/22/2005 If you still have to go out, despite the lightening danger (say, for an important meeting), avoid wearing dark-colored clothes. Stay away from black; it is the most lightening-enticing color!

on 11/22/2005 If you are outside, far away from your house, and suddenly a bad storm comes up, the safest thing to do would be to get inside your car and stay there.

on 11/22/2005 Surge protectors are rated by the amount of power that they will protect your electronic hardware against. A bolt of lightning can generate 1 billion to 10 billion joules of electricity (direct strike). So really, the only thing you are protecting your electronic equipment against is an indirect strike. For the best protection, buy a surge protector that has a high joule protection rating and even better yet, purchase one that offers to insure your equipment. Keep in mind that electronics plugged into phone or cable lines have the risk of a surge coming in from those sources as well. So be sure that your surge protector offers protection. There are other factors that determine the quality of your surge protector. If you have important data to protect, or other costly electronics, be sure to do your research as buying the right unit can save you a lot of money and headache should something happen.