Thunderstorm Safety: What To Do
What you can do to stay safe during a thunderstorm:
Outdoors
- Stay away from large bodies of water, as well as puddles.
- If swimming, boating or fishing, get away from the water and seek shelter immediately.
- Stand several yards apart from others and avoid touching anyone else.
Lightning can strike several people at once, either because
the people are in physical contact or because they are standing
close enough for the strike to travel through the ground.
- If you are in the open, avoid being the tallest object
in the area. Crouch down on the balls of your feet, minimizing
your contact with the ground.
- Do not seek shelter under a tree.
- Stay away from fences, metal rails, telephone or power lines, pipelines
or steel fabrications, such as sheds or bleachers.
- Stop tractor work and heavy construction equipment, especially
when pulling metal equipment, and dismount. Do not seek
shelter under the equipment.
- If you can't get to shelter, get in a car with a metal
roof and sides. This will protect you not because the rubber
tires are in contact with the ground, but because of the
metal shell.
- Remember your pets. Doghouses are not protected from lightning.
Dogs that are normally chained to trees or chained to wire
runners may be easy targets for lightning. Bring pets inside.
Indoors
- Use only a cordless or cell phone to make calls. Phone
use is the leading cause of indoor lightning injuries in
this country.
- Protect your electrical equipment from lightning damage
by turning off computers, TVs, stereos, etc. before a thunderstorm
hits.
- Avoid electrical equipment; use battery-powered TVs and radios instead. Stay off the computer. Do not attempt
to unplug any equipment or appliances during a thunderstorm.
- Do not wash dishes, take a shower or use plumbing.
Thunderstorms
Outage safety: what to do
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