THUNDERSTORMS AND LIGHTNING

Here are some of the recent injuries & fatalities that have occurred in Southwest Florida:

§ August 1993, Lightning struck a house in Naples as the occupant unloaded a dishwasher. She was treated for numbness but not seriously injured.

§ September 1995, Two males were killed and one male was injured while leaning against an automobile at a construction site for the Pelican Marsh development in North Naples during the height of a thunderstorm. Several individuals who were inside the vehicle were uninjured.

§ August 1996, Two persons were killed and six injured by a single lightning strike while picnicking at Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Recreation Area. The incident occurred near the height of a thunderstorm when lightning struck a 50-feet high pine tree under which a group of 25 to 30 persons were gathered using a tarpaulin as a roof. Emergency personnel exposed themselves to numerous lightning strikes while rescuing people.

§ Apr 2003, a man was killed while working near a ditch at a farm two miles from Oil Well Road. Two other men standing about 10 feet away were injured by the same lightning strike. It was raining heavily at the time.

§ Aug 2006, the school principal at Golden Gate Elementary School was struck by lightning as he was dismissing students at the school. He was treated at the scene and released. It was raining heavily and the principal was holding an umbrella when struck.

§ On September 10, 2007 a homeless individual was struck by lightning in Fort Myers next to the Caloosahatchee River and passed away on 12 September.

§ On Labor Day 2006, a 13-year old boy died after he was struck by lightning while swimming in a pond in Lehigh Acres.

§ On the morning of April 8, 2005 in Bonita Springs, a golfer was struck while walking on the fairway toward a ball. The sun was shining at the time of the strike, but isolated thunderstorms were moving onshore near the course. It doesn’t have to be raining for lightning to strike. Almost all lightning will occur within 10 miles of its parent thunderstorm, but it CAN strike much farther than that. Lightning detection equipment has confirmed bolts striking almost 50 miles away, but these are very rare.

§ On August 18, 2005, lightning from a fast moving thunderstorm killed two roofers in Fort Myers and injured a third as they were getting ready to take shelter from the storm.

Remember, if you can hear thunder, you can be struck by lightning. Take shelter immediately!

Thunderstorms can produce several types of hazardous weather including large hail, damaging winds, flash floods, and tornados. However, lightning is the number one cause of weather related fatalities in Florida averaging 10 fatalities and 40 injuries a year. Approximately half of the deaths and injuries occur during outdoor recreational activities. About 40% of those occur on the water.

Where to Go!

The safest location during a thunderstorm is inside a large enclosed structure with plumbing and electrical wiring. These include shopping centers, schools, office buildings, and private residences.

If lightning strikes the building, the plumbing and wiring will conduct the electricity more efficiently than a human body. If no buildings are available, then an enclosed metal vehicle such as an automobile, van, or school bus makes a decent alternative.

Where NOT to Go!

Not all types of buildings or vehicles are safe during thunderstorms. Buildings are NOT SAFE (even if they are "grounded") if they have exposed openings. These include beach shacks, metal sheds, picnic shelters/pavilions, carports, and baseball dugouts. Porches are dangerous as well.

Convertible vehicles offer no safety from lightning, even if the top is "up". Other vehicles which are NOT SAFE during lightning storms are those which have open cabs, such as golf carts, tractors, and construction equipment. Remember, it is not the rubber tires of a vehicle that protect you from lightning. The metal shell of a vehicle gives the electricity from the lightning a path to flow around you.

What to Do!

Once inside a sturdy building, stay away from electrical appliances and plumbing fixtures.

You may want to unplug valuable electrical equipment so they will not be damaged.

As an added safety measure, go to an interior room.

If you are inside a vehicle, roll the windows up, and avoid contact with any conducting paths leading to the outside of the vehicle such as radios, CB’s, and the ignition or you could be badly burned if lightning strikes.

What NOT to Do

Lightning can travel great distances through power lines, especially in rural areas. Do not use electrical appliances, ESPECIALLY corded telephones unless it is an emergency. Cordless and cell phones are safe to use but stay away from the windows.

Computers are also dangerous to use because they are usually connected to both phone and electrical cords. Do not take a shower or use the bathtub.

What should I do if I am in a boat

on the open water during a thunderstorm?

Thunderstorms over the coastal waters in Florida are generally unpredictable. Even with the best weather reports, boaters can still be caught in open waters when a thunderstorm develops. With or without a lightning protection system, it is critical to take additional precautions to protect yourself.

· Stay in the center of the cabin, if so designed. If there is no cabin, stay low in the boat. Don’t be a stand-up lightning rod!

· Keep arms and legs in the boat. Don’t dangle them over the side.

· Stop fishing, water skiing, scuba diving, swimming or other water activities when there is lightning or even when weather conditions look threatening. Lightning can strike well ahead of a storm.

· Disconnect and do not use or touch the major electronic equipment, including the radio, throughout the duration of the storm.

· Lower, remove or tie down the radio antenna and other protruding devices if they are not a part of the lightning protection system.

· To the degree possible, avoid making contact with two components connected to the system at the same time. For example, the gear levers and the spotlight may both be connected to the system. If you have a hand on both when lightning strikes, the path of the electric current could be directly through your heart—a very deadly path!

· At least one person on board should be competent in CPR and first aid. Many individuals struck by lightning can be saved with prompt first aid.

Lightning Trivia

While west central and southwest Florida does hold the title of "Lightning Capital of North America", there are many places in the world that experience lightning even MORE frequently! The title of "Lightning Capital of the World" goes to Kampala, Uganda, a city that experiences 280 thunderstorm days annually. Our area experiences lightning 90 to 100 days annually.

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