ANST - Lightning safety - long

[Leslie Miller]

At Gulf Wars last week, the decision was made by one of the marshals 
to stop the rapier melees because of an impending thunderstorm.  

When this decision was made, I heard many remarks from participants 
to the effect of, "What an idiot!  It wasn't even raining!  The storm wasn't 
even overhead!  This guy is paranoid!"  etc. 

As a mundane safety professional and several year storm spotter for the 
city of Stillwater, these comments alarmed me, because to my mind, 
the marshal made the absolutely correct decision to cancel the melees 
when he did. 

So, because I care very much for the health and safety of my fellow 
SCAers, I thought this might be an appropriate time to conduct some 
lightning safety education.  

Because I've already been looked at like I had three heads for saying 
that lightning can strike up to 10 miles away from the main storm; I have 
copied the proceeds of the multi-agency recommendations for lightning 
safety based on the proceeds from the American Meteorological 
Society Conference,  Phoenix, Arizona, 1998.  I trust that this will serve 
as a sufficiently authoritative source.  I have edited the full article for 
brevity, but it is available at:
www.lightningsafety.com/nlsi_pls/multiagency_recommendation.html

They recommend teaching this slogan: "If you can see it - flee it; if you 
can hear it - clear it."

"ABSTRACT

On average, lightning causes more casualties annually in the US than 
any other storm related phenomena, except floods. Many people incur 
injuries or are killed due to misinformation and inappropriate behavior 
during thunderstorms. A few simple precautions can reduce many of the 
dangers posed by lightning. In order to standardize recommended 
actions during thunderstorms, a group of qualified experts from various 
backgrounds collectively have addressed personal safety in regard to 
lightning, based on recently improved understanding of thunderstorm 
behavior.  
 
Safer Locations during Thunderstorms and Locations to Avoid

No place is absolutely safe from the lightning threat, however, some 
places are safer than others. Large enclosed structures (substantially 
constructed buildings) tend to be much safer than smaller or open 
structures. The risk for lightning injury depends on whether the structure 
incorporates lightning protection, construction materials used, and the 
size of the structure (see NFPA 780, Appendix E & H). In general, fully 
enclosed metal vehicles such as cars, trucks, buses, vans, fully 
enclosed farm vehicles, etc. with the windows rolled up provide good 
shelter from lightning. Avoid contact with metal or conducting surfaces 
outside or inside the vehicle.  

             AVOID being in or near:

High places and open fields, isolated trees, unprotected gazebos, rain 
or picnic shelters, baseball dugouts, communications towers, flagpoles, 
light poles, bleachers (metal or wood), metal fences, convertibles, golf 
carts, water (ocean, lakes, swimming pools, rivers, etc.).  

             When inside a building AVOID:

Use of the telephone, taking a shower, washing your hands, doing 
dishes, or any contact with conductive surfaces with exposure to the 
outside such as metal door or window frames, electrical wiring, 
telephone wiring, cable TV wiring, plumbing, etc.  

             Safety Guidelines for Individuals

Generally speaking, if an individual can see lightning and/or hear 
thunder he/she is already at risk. Louder or more frequent thunder 
indicates that lightning activity is approaching, increasing the risk for 
lightning injury or death. If the time delay between seeing the flash 
(lightning) and hearing the bang (thunder) is less than 30 seconds, the 
individual should be in, or seek a safer location (see Safer Locations 
during Thunderstorms and Locations to Avoid). Be aware that this 
method of ranging has severe limitations in part due to the difficulty of 
associating the proper thunder to the corresponding flash.  

High winds, rainfall, and cloud cover often act as precursors to actual 
cloud-to-ground strikes notifying individuals to take action. Many 
lightning casualties occur in the beginning, as the storm approaches, 
because people ignore these precursors. Also, many lightning 
casualties occur after the perceived threat has passed. Generally, the 
lightning threat diminishes with time after the last sound of thunder, but 
may persist for more than 30 minutes. When thunderstorms are in the 
area but not overhead, the lightning threat can exist even when it is 
sunny, not raining, or when clear sky is visible.  

Recognize that personal observation of lightning may not be sufficient; 
additional information such as a lightning detection system or additional 
weather information may be required to ensure consistency, accuracy, 
and adequate advance warning.  

Remember, lightning is always generated and connected to a 
thundercloud but may strike many miles from the edge of the 
thunderstorm cell. Acceptable downtime (time of alert state) has to be 
balanced with the risk posed by lightning. Accepting responsibility for 
larger groups of people requires more sophistication and diligence to 
assure that all possibilities are considered.  
            
             First Aid Recommendations for Lightning victims

Most lightning victims can actually survive their encounter with lightning, 
especially with timely medical treatment. Individuals struck by lightning 
do not carry a charge and it is safe to touch them to render medical 
treatment. Follow these steps to try to save the life of a lightning victim:  

                  First:

Call 911 to provide directions and information about the likely number of 
victims.  

                  Response:

The first tenet of emergency care is "make no more casualties". If the 
area where the victim is located is a high risk area (mountain top, 
isolated tree, open field, etc.) with a continuing thunderstorm, the 
rescuers may be placing themselves in significant danger.  

                  Evacuation:

It is relatively unusual for victims who survive a lightning strike to have 
major fractures that would cause paralysis or major bleeding 
complications unless they have suffered a fall or been thrown a 
distance. As a result, in an active thunderstorm, the rescuer needs to 
choose whether evacuation from very high risk areas to an area of lesser 
risk is warranted and should not be afraid to move the victim rapidly if 
necessary. Rescuers are cautioned to minimize their exposure to 
lightning as much as possible.  

                  Resuscitation:

If the victim is not breathing, start mouth to mouth resuscitation. If it is 
decided to move the victim, give a few quick breaths prior to moving 
them. Determine if the victim has a pulse by checking the pulse at the 
carotid artery (side of the neck) or femoral artery (groin) for at least 20-
30 seconds. If no pulse is detected, start cardiac compressions as well. 
In situations that are cold and wet, putting a protective layer between 
the victim and the ground may decrease the hypothermia that the victim 
suffers which can further complicate the resuscitation. In wilderness 
areas and those far from medical care, prolonged basic CPR is of little 
use: the victim is unlikely to recover if they do n ot respond within the 
first few minutes. If the pulse returns, the rescuer should continue 
ventilation with rescue breathing if needed for as long as practical in a 
wilderness situation. However, if a pulse does not return after twenty t o 
thirty minutes of good effort, the rescuer should not feel guilty about 
stopping resuscitation.  

             CONCLUSION

Avoid unnecessary exposure to the lightning threat during thunderstorm 
activity. Follow these safety recommendations to reduce the overall 
number of lightning casualties. An individual ultimately must take 
responsibility for his or her own safety and should take appropriate 
action when threatened by lightning. School teachers, camp 
counselors, coaches, lifeguards, and other adults must take 
responsibility for the safety of children in their care. A weather radio and 
the use of lightning detection data in conjunction with an action plan are 
prudent components of a lightning warning policy, especially when 
larger groups and/or longer evacuation times are involved."

The article also discusses action plans for large outdoor gatherings,  so 
seneschals and autocrats who may be interested in such things might 
want to check it out.

There are additional websites with lightning safety information: 

The National Lightning Safety Institute:
http://www.lightningsafety.com/

The National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN):
http://www.glatmos.com/

The National Severe Storms Laboratory lightning page:
http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/researchitems/lightning.shtml

Sabrina's Lightning Strike Page (great for kids):
http://www.azstarnet.com/~anubis/sabintro.htm

I apologize for the length of this missive, but I hope that it has been 
informative.

YIS,
Gunhilda
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