What Are Some Safety Rules When Dealing With Lightning?

Lightning strikes with the power of 125,000,000 volts of electricity--enough to run a 100-watt bulb for 3 months. This jolt of electricity can kill a human or leave him with permanent neurological damage. In fact, the American Meteorological Society reports that lightning is second only to floods in causes of storm-related deaths in the United States. Understanding basic safety rules for dealing with lightning can help keep you stay alive and well during a storm.

30/30 Rule

• The 30/30 rule helps you determine when to take cover from lightning and how soon it is safe to come out. The first 30 refers to the time between lightning and thunder (flash to bang ratio). If you hear thunder within 30 seconds of a lightning flash, the storm is close and you should take cover immediately. The second 30 refers to how long you should remain under cover to be safe. Once you don't see lightning or hear thunder for at least 30 minutes, you'll know that the storm has passed and it's safe to return to your normal activities.

Finding Shelter

• Your first choice of shelter during a lightning storm is a large, enclosed building, such as a house or public building. Once inside, stay away from anything that may come into contact with lightning. Move to inner rooms of the building, keeping a safe distance from the windows. Don't use the telephone or electrical appliances, since lightning can strike outside your house and carry the charge through the wires. Also stay away from metal objects that can conduct electricity, such as faucets, pipes and radiators.

  If you're too far away to find shelter in a building, stay in a car that has a solid metal roof and sides and keep the doors and windows shut. As in a building, stay towards the center of the car and don't touch anything that might conduct electricity from the outside, including the doors, steering wheel and ignition.

Keeping Safe Outside

• If you can't get to shelter, there are still ways to keep yourself safe from lightning. First, move away from objects and areas that can attract or conduct lightning. Stay away from water, isolated tall objects and trees, and machinery (such as farm equipment). Try to move to an area of lower elevation.

  Since lightning is attracted to the tallest object around, keep yourself low to the ground. Place yourself in a lightning crouch, with your feet planted flat on the ground and your head tucked down lower than your shoulders. If you have a sleeping pad or other insulating material, place it under your feet to protect yourself from lightning traveling through the ground. If you're in a group, remain 30 to 50 feet apart so that lightning won't travel between you. Keeping yourselves separate ensures that if one person is struck, someone else will survive to get help.