There’s really no full-proof way to avoid being struck by lightning. Luckily for us, lightning strikes are a rare occurrence compared to many other deadly situations out in the world. According to the National Weather Service, 2011 set a new record for the least amount of lightning-related deaths in America, with less than 30 people having died due to lightning strikes. This is about half the yearly average. In fact, over the past few decades there’s been a continuous decline in lighting-related deaths, perhaps due to increased education on the subject.
You should be mindful of weather conditions and take precautions to reduce your risks of being struck. Lightning most often becomes a threat when the victim is in the outdoors and caught off-guard by a storm.
- If you can see lightning and/or hear thunder, the risk is already present
- When a storm approaches your area, avoid large open spaces (like a field or golf course) or high-elevation locations (like a mountain). Get away from light poles, metal fences, large bodies of water, and isolated trees.
- If there is a time delay of less than thirty seconds between spotting the lightning and hearing the resulting thunder, you need to be extra careful.
- Take refuge in a large, enclosed building if possible.
Note that a lightning strike can easily be fatal, but this is not always the case. Roy Sullivan, a U.S. Park Ranger managed to be struck by lightning 7 times throughout the course of his life. Still, many people are not so lucky.
Featured Photo by carolynconner
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