Lightning Safety Awareness Week

Summer is the time of year that lightning causes the most problems. Be safe! If you hear thunder you should assume that lightning is right around the corner. Go indoors. I was mowing last week with my iPod on blast so I did not hear the thunder but I did see a flash of light. I immediately parked the mower and headed inside. Gone are the days when I would run out and bring all of the rescued dogs indoors while the lightning zoomed overhead. Now I put them up way before the storm thinks about getting cranked up. I heard about a lady that was just taking her trash out and was struck by lightning last year. Scary stuff.

National Weather Service says, “When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors.”

A safe shelter from lightning is either a substantial building or a enclosed metal vehicle. A safe building is one that is fully enclosed with a roof, walls and floor, and has plumbing or wiring. Examples include a home, school, church, hotel, office building or shopping center.  Once inside, stay away from showers, sinks, bath tubs, and electronic equipment such as stoves, radios, corded telephones and computers.

Unsafe buildings include car ports, open garages, covered patios, picnic shelters, beach pavilions, golf shelters, tents of any kinds, baseball dugouts, sheds and greenhouses.