Places to Hide During a Lightning Storm

As the saying goes, where there's thunder, there's lightning. Seventy-five to 100 deaths in the U.S. each year result from victims being struck by lightning, reports the National Disaster Education Coalition in 1999. Even more are struck and survive with varying long-term health complications. Lessen the likelihood of injury or death by taking necessary precautions when thunderstorm clouds approach or lightning is seen in the distance.

Indoors

• Seek safe shelter before a lightning storm is overhead. The best place is inside a house or other building with no openings, running water or electricity. The structure must be enclosed on all sides by a roof, floor and walls. An open garage, picnic shelter area or baseball dugout give no protection from lightning, nor do tents or most sheds because of the lack of plumbing and electrical wires. Safe hideouts include homes, churches, office buildings, hotels, schools and other complete

  structures. Those with lightning protection systems installed are particularly safe. If these structures are hit, lightning is safely directed to the ground.

Outdoors on Land

• If there is no building available, the next best shelter is your vehicle. Safe vehicles are enclosed with hard, metal tops, such as in cars, minivans and trucks. Convertibles and golf carts are not safe. Roll up all windows completely. If at the park or camping, a restroom building will suffice. When no safe shelter is available, avoid staying atop mountains or hills; retreat to low-lying areas. Be mindful of flash flood warnings. Lightning is more likely to strike taller structures like trees, poles, fences, power lines and towers. At the least, avoid open fields and lone trees; seek shelter underneath a gathering of shorter trees. Crouch down low to the ground to make yourself a smaller, less likely target. Bend your knees, place your hands on top of them and lower your head. Ground strikes conduct readily throug soil, so stay on the balls of your feet to limit contact with the ground.

Outdoors on Water

• If stuck offshore on a boat and unable to reach land, you are safest in a boat with an enclosed cabin or properly installed lightning protection system. Hide inside the cabin area for the duration of the storm. Scuba divers traveling in open boats are better off riding out the storm by diving deep into the water for as long as possible, according to the National Weather Service.

Inside Shelter

• Whether inside a safe building, vehicle or boat cabin, do not touch radio systems or anything metal or electrical, such as ovens, televisions and computers. Avoid using telephones with cords and contact with water sources, such as bathtubs, sinks and showers. Unplug electrical appliances before the storm arrives. Lightning may strike outside power lines or pipes and travel into homes, providing a dangerous electrical charge to anything connected to them. Close and avoid all windows and doors. Lightning can seep through small cracks or openings. The National Weather Service recommends not returning outdoors for at least 30 minutes after the thunder has subsided.