First, the good news: safety education has dramatically reduced deaths from lightning strikes in the past three decades.
In the 1970s, about 20 Canadians died each year from lightning. Since then, the mortality rate has dropped to between six and 10 deaths a year, says David Phillips, a climatologist with Environment Canada in Toronto. That’s impressive, considering the population has grown and there are probably more people outdoors.
The bad news: there are still many serious injuries. Lightning injuries and deaths aren’t officially tallied, but, Phillips says, Environment Canada estimates 10 people probably suffer serious injuries and require hospitalization for each death. In other words, lightning seriously injures 60 to 100 Canadians each year. In the U.S., where unstable weather systems are more frequent, the figures are higher.
Lightning is a dazzling and deadly force. One bolt, at 30,000?C, is six times the temperature of the sun, says Phillips.
People need to respect the power of lightning.
With the summer well underway, Canadians need to understand how lightning operates and act accordingly. “Lightning is really lazy,” says Phillips. “It tries to find the quickest route to being grounded.” The pathway it takes can be unpredictable, he adds: “It can be a flagpole, a blade of grass or your head.”
How can you make sure it is anything but the last? Environment Canada promotes what it calls the 30/30 rule. When you see a flash of lightning, start counting in one-second intervals. Reaching 30 without hearing the accompanying thunder means the storm is far enough away that you’re not at any risk.
(To determine a storm’s distance from you, by kilometres, divide your count by three.) If, however, you can’t reach 30 without hearing thunder, you need to seek shelter — preferably, in a building or an automobile.
The second 30 in the 30/30 rule refers to how many minutes should pass after the last boom of thunder or flash of lightning before you venture outside. This is a critical component of lightning safety, as most people don’t heed the fact that the storm can still be active when the sky looks clear. Blue skies do not necessarily mean all is safe, says Phillips. A “bolt out of the blue” is just that — and is the cause of most lightning deaths. “People assume the risk is over and resume activity,” he says. “Then they’re hit.”
Golfers standing in an open field near scattered trees, and holding what is essentially a miniature lightning rod, are at particularly high risk for lightning strikes.
Cases such as pro golfer Lee Trevino, who twice survived being struck by lightning, speaks volumes about the game’s relationship with this force of Nature.
Golf courses have responded to the risk by educating their members and guests on lightning safety. Grant Holcomb, director of operations at Glen Abbey in Oakville, Ont., says the club — and the 27 others in the ClubLink Corp. chain — have a strict lightning policy. “We get people off the course as soon as we see a flash,” he says.
Air horns sound the alarm to let players know a storm is near and that they need to get off the course. If golfers can’t make it to the clubhouse, there are two shelters topped with lightning rods under which they are encouraged to wait out the storm. He says the club issues warnings, on average, between five to 10 times each season.
ClubLink clubs also have their eyes peeled for weather instability by monitoring pro-shop radar screens. Holcomb says if a storm system is spotted nearby, the club may decide to postpone member events, preferring to offer rain checks to disappointed players than deal with a tragedy.
In addition, ClubLink scorecards have listed lightning safety tips for members for the past five years, he says: “You try to drill it into them.”
How can golfers and other outdoor buffs keep safe in a storm? Here are some tips from Phillips:
> Follow the 30/30 rule. Count to 30 to determine whether a storm is close to you and wait 30 minutes after any signs of the storm before resuming outdoor activity.
> If you can’t reach a car or a building, seek shelter in low-lying areas, such as ditches and valleys.
> Avoid trees and other tall objects, such as telephone poles, even when in a car. Tall objects can be hit and cause damage, says Phillips.
@page_break@> If you can’t count to 30 uninterrupted by lightning or thunder, head for a building or a car.
> Remember that densely wooded areas are safer than open fields. In a forest, there are many trees, so chances are fewer that the one you are under will be hit.
> Avoid metal items, such as bicycles, golf clubs and fishing poles, and stay away from power lines and metal fences.
> Indoors, stay away from windows, chimneys and doors. Disconnect electrical appliances or, at the very least, don’t use them. Refrain from picking up the phone as lightning can travel through the phone wires. Don’t take a bath or shower until the storm has passed.
> Lightning gives a last warning before striking, says Phillips. If you notice your hair standing up and/or something or someone nearby appears to be surrounded by a blue light (an energy buildup called St. Elmo’s fire), lightning is going to strike very close and you have no time to move elsewhere.
To minimize the chances of being hit, crouch into a leapfrog or catcher’s position, with your head down and your hands over your ears to protect your hearing. And stay on the balls of your feet to minimize contact with the ground.
And avoid staying close to anyone else, Phillips adds. As with farm animals, which are often found dead in groups, being close to another person only increases the potential for tragedy. IE
Lightning strikes more often than you may think
Fewer now killed by lightning because more Canadians are following simple safety rules when Mother Nature cracks the whip
- By: Wendy Cuthbert
- August 3, 2005 August 3, 2005
- 11:05