LIGHTNING

I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.
-Louisa May Alcott

At any given moment there are approximately 2,000 thunderstorms happening all over this planet. Lightning strikes the ground surface about 100 times per second. Generally speaking, lightning activity increases with altitude and also as you get close to the equator. Knowing the right things to do during a thunderstorm can help keep you and the members of your group safe and alive.

One of the most common questions people always ask is, "What are my odds of being struck by lightning?" Although some governmental and meteorological sources have tried to put a statistical number to it -- like 1 in 3,000,000 -- it's not that simple. For example, if you live in the far reaches of Alaska and rarely venture outdoors your odds of being hit by lightning are going to be lower than someone who lives in Georgia and goes hunting, camping or fishing even if it's raining. Your odds of possibly being hit by lighting vary by the activity you engage in, when you engage in that outdoor activity, and where you spend most of your time outdoors.

When you are outdoors, especially during the summer months you need to be extra vigilant for approaching thunderstorms. This can pose some interesting, different and unique problems when you are in the outdoors as opposed to being home. One important thing to remember is that when you are below the tree line in a dense forest this can make it difficult for you to see the sky and watch for approaching clouds. Above the tree line and at higher elevations thunder rolling through canyons and valleys can make it next to impossible to know what direction the storm is coming from, and in some cases if it is even in your immediate area. Finally, storm clouds can suddenly form or pass over the top of a ridge making things nasty in a matter of minutes. When you start to hear thunder it is time to be alert and ready to make your decisions. When outdoors in overcast situations always be on the lookout for the signs of an impending thunderstorm. Primarily you are looking for high thin clouds streaking overhead, dark rising columns of "cotton balls" with shredded tops or dark bases with jagged torn bottoms. Lightning can originate from six to eight miles away from its last origin, so it is possible for a "bolt from the blue" on the edge of a storm. This is the reason why you should never wait until you see lightning to take precautionary measures, it may be already too late.

If you are unlucky enough to be caught in a thunderstorm in the outdoors there are a number of things you can do to help protect yourself.

• Get out of open and exposed areas. Ridges, open fields, or nearby tall objects like solitary trees, communication antenna, or rock spires are a bad place to be. Ridges and open fields leave you exposed and as the tallest object around, solitary trees and rock spires serve as natural lightning rods.
• If you are with a large group spread out at least 20 feet apart. Lighting can jump as far as 20 feet and if you stay close together a lightning strike can injury a group of people.
• Find an area that is not exposed. A sturdy building or vehicle is best (but likely won't be anywhere around you). Never seek shelter directly under a tree. If you cannot find any shelter at all, if you are above the tree line, get as low as possible as you can away from any ridges.
• If you have metal gear like rifles, knives, or metal gear on your person remove them and set these items away from you. Sit on top of your pack if you have one, with your feet on the ground, crouched down with your eyes closed and your hands over your ears. Sight and hearing injuries are very common among lightning strike victims and near strike injuries. Do not lie prone on the ground; this is no longer recommended as a safe position.
• Stay away from sharp changes in terrain. Like the edge of water, the edge of a forest, rocks to dirt, etc - these areas are naturally more hazardous.
• If your hair stands on end and you feel a tingling sensation, or if the area around you appears electrified with excess static, lightning may be ready to strike. Keep your ears covered and your eyes closed. Hold your breath, some people have been seriously injured when they breathe in the superheated air that surrounds and is expanding out from a lightning bolt.
• Wait for at least 30 minutes after the lighting and thunder has stopped to move on and resume any activity.
• If a member of your party gets hit by lightning start emergency treatment immediately. This person is not electrified after being hit by lighting and you should check anyone who is down as soon as possible. Remember that about 80% of people that are hit by lightning recover.
• If a person has been hit by lighting and has no pulse or heartbeat immediately start performing CPR.
• Treat any electrical burns as you would any other burn, clean it with water, apply antiseptic and cover. Remember also, that neurological and internal injuries are possibilities, so check before you move any lightning victim.
• On the positive side it is also very possible for someone to be hit by lightning and be practically uninjured.

By using common sense of always being aware of the sky above you can greatly decrease your odds of being hit by lightning. As your adventures take you deeper or higher into to the great outdoors...always remember to keep a watchful eye on the sky, listen for the distant thunder, and react accordingly.

Never take an electrical storm casually. If lightning threatens while you are in the backcountry, take immediate action:

• Move away from a tall, solitary tree—or any lone, tall object. Isolated high-rise objects are likely strike points for lightning.
• Descend from ridgelines or peaks. Lightning tends to strike prominent topographic features. In threatening weather, move away from high points and exposed areas. Head for lower ground.
• Stay away from water.
• Separate yourself from metal or graphite objects, including external-frame packs, shooting sticks or trekking poles and fishing rods or firearms.
• Keep out of shallow caves or overhangs. Lightning's current easily jumps across gaps and could jolt a person standing in the mouth of a cave.
• Insulate yourself from the ground; sit on your non-metallic pack with feet off the ground. If a ground current reaches you, it most likely will travel only through your feet. Do not lie down (since it expands your contact with the ground).
• Have members in your party spread out by at least 25 feet—farther if possible.
• REMEMBER: A lightning strike victim can be revived by quickly administering CPR. They are not electrified.

Where is the best place to be?

• Try and get yourself within a group of trees of roughly uniform height, preferably in a low-lying area, as a second option, in a low spot of an open field.

How close is that lightning?

• Use your watch and time the interval between the flash of lightning and the sound of thunder. Thunder travels approximately a mile every five seconds (or roughly 1,000 feet per second). If it takes 10 seconds for the sound to reach you after a flash, the storm is two miles away. If that interval is shorter the next time, the storm is drawing closer.

BE AWARE – BE PREPARED – BE SAFE