Lightning SafetyFor Scouts

Lightning SafetyFor Scouts

Daniel E. StrykerAssistant District Commissioner, OMD

Northern New Jersey Council

Purpose

Lightning Safety Training is a must…

Overview

• LIGHTNING IS A SIGNIFICANT HAZARD!• Scouting Lightning Hazards• LIGHTNING SAFETY GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS• CALL TO ACTION

Lightning Education is

Needed for our Leaders and our

Scouts

Lightning -- Significant Hazard

• LIGHTNING: Is the Underrated Killer

• #2 Storm Killer In U.S.• More Than Tornadoes and

Hurricanes Combined

• Life-Long Debilitating InjuryOn Many More Than It Kills

• Kills ~73 individuals / Year andInjures over 1,000 / Year In U.S.

• $5 Billion Economic ImpactEach Year In U.S.

• Yet Lightning Safety ReceivesSurprisingly Little Attention!

Lightning Casualties In U.S. (1959-2005)(National Severe Storms Laboratory)

Radio and Radio Equipment(1%)

Farm andHeavy Equipment

(5%)

Telephone(4%)

Golf(6%)

Open Fields(Includes Sports Fields)

(45%)

Under Trees(23%)Water

(Swimming,boating,fishing)(14%)

Trees & Fences (2%)

Camping and Outdoor Activities Put Scouts at Risk!

Camping and Outdoor Activities Put Scouts at Risk!

Scouting Lightning Hazards

Scouting Activities put Scouts at Risk!

• Open Fields (45%)

• Sports Fields

• Campgrounds

• Outdoor Activities

• Water Sports Activities

• Extra Concerns:• Metal Bleachers!• Long Metal Fences!• Power Lines

Scouting Lightning Hazards

Under Trees (23%) of Lightning Strikes occur at an Outdoor Activity

Scouting Lightning Hazards

• Water Related (14%)

• Swimming• Indoor Pools Too!

• Boating

• Water Related (14%)

• Swimming• Indoor Pools Too!

• Boating

Scouting Lightning Hazards

• Golf (6%)

• Hiking in Patrols• Heavy Equipment (5%)

• Grounds Keepers• Telephone (4%)

• Everyone!

Scouting Activities Put Scouts At Risk!

Scouting Lightning Hazards

NO!

• Don’t “Tough It Out”!

• Do Postpone Or Cancel Event

• Children’s Lives AndLife-Long Crippling InjuriesMore Important Than A Game!

• Scouts have a Rising Lightning Casualty Rate

Scouting Activities Put Scouts at Risk!

Scouting Lightning Hazards

Scouting Lightning Hazards

• The Highest Lightning Rate is in the SE U.S. and Mid-West• But All Places Have Some Lightning Risk!

Recommendations

• LIGHTNING SAFETY GROUPS

• Lightning Experts come from Diverse Disciplines

• Universities• National Labs• Operational Meteorology• Medicine• Industry• Safety• Insurance• Education• Athletics

• Goal: To implement a Lightning Safety Education program and Lightning Safety Plan at all NNJC Camps

Recommendations (con’t.)

• Safety Guidelines for . . .• Safer And Unsafe Locations

Near Thunderstorms• Individuals• Small Groups• Large Groups• Important Components of an

Action Safety Plan• First Aid For Lightning Victims

Recommendations (con’t.)

NNJC

Recommendations (con’t.)

3030 3030

• Use the ‘30-30 Rule’ To Determine If Lightning Is A Threat

• If 30 Secs Or Less “Flash To Bang”, Seek Proper Shelter• Back-Up Rule (if you can’t see the lightning):

If You Can Hear Thunder, Seek Proper Shelter

• Wait 30 Min Or More After Last Thunder,Before Leaving Proper Shelter

• Most Casualties Occur Before, And Especially After,Thunderstorms

30-30 Rule May Seem Too Conservative -- It’s Not!

Most Important Rules for Scouts to follow:

Recommendations (con’t.)

••People Don’t Realize The Long Distances Lightning Can StrikeAverage 3 NM Between Strikes

‘Bolt From The Blue’ ~15 NM Not UncommonGround Strike ~60 NM Documented From Anvil

(Rare Distance)People Don’t Realize The Long Times Lightning Can Strike

After The Thunderstorm Has DecayedGround Strike ~75 Min Documented From Debris Cloud

Recommendations (con’t.)

30 30Most Important Points For Scouters

• Lightning Notification Services should be used

• Use of National Lightning Detection Network Data has• Proven Performance

• Use Automatic Notification when Lightning iswithin Various Distances Of an Event Site / Time

• Automatic Notification when ‘All Clear’

• Notification Via Pagers, Cell-Phones, E-mail, Or Fax

• Implement Complete Objective -- Lightning Safety Plans

• Doesn’t Warn Against Locally Developing Thunderstorms• Need To Watch The Skies And React Appropriately

Recommendations (con’t.)

Seek Proper Shelter• Buildings Much Better

Than Vehicles• Vehicles Offer

Some Safety• No Place Outside

Is Safe Near AThunderstorm

• Near ≡ 6 Miles

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

Lightning Certified Facility

Outdoors

Lightning Protected Building

Rel

ativ

e Li

ghtn

ing

Pro

tect

ion

• Once In Proper Shelter, Avoid Conducting Paths To Outside• Telephone (corded)• Electrical Appliances / Wiring

• TVs, VCRs, And TV Cables• Computers• Light Switches• Electrical Outlets

• Plumbing• Showers• Sinks• Rest Rooms• Pools (indoors too)

• Don’t Watch LightningFrom Windows / Doorways

• Inner Rooms Are Better

Recommendations (con’t.)

Concerns For Scouters

• Lining-Up For Buses Outside

• Is a Building Available As ShelterDuring Events?

• Should we use Buses As Shelterat more Remote event areas?

• Communicating Lightning AlertsTo Noisy Crowds Of Kids

• Can They Hear It?

• Are They Trained On Required Actions?

Recommendations (con’t.)

Most Important Points For Scouters

Recommendations (con’t.)

NNJC

Recommendations (con’t.)

• First Aid For Lightning• Call 911• Apply CPR / Mouth To Mouth Resuscitation

• All Deaths From Cardiac Arrest / Stopped Breathing• Myth: Lightning Victim Can Electrocute You

• 90% Survive -- Give The First Aid!• Beware Downed Live Wires!

• First Aid For LightningFirst Aid For Lightning•• Call 911Call 911•• Apply CPR / Mouth To Mouth Resuscitation Apply CPR / Mouth To Mouth Resuscitation

•• All Deaths From Cardiac Arrest / Stopped BreathingAll Deaths From Cardiac Arrest / Stopped Breathing•• MythMyth:: Lightning Victim Can Electrocute YouLightning Victim Can Electrocute You

•• 90% Survive 90% Survive ---- Give The First Aid!Give The First Aid!•• Beware Downed Live Wires! Beware Downed Live Wires!

Courtesy of National Lightning Safety Institute

Most Important Points For Scouters

Learn Lightning Safety

1) Enforce A Lightning Safety Plan• Protect Scouts And Staff

2) Continuous Training• Teach Your Scouts And Staffhelp protect themselves Outside Of Scouting

3) Scout Education programs • Help Your Community Protect Itself• Generate Support For Scouting by being safe

Summary

• Lightning Is Extremely Significant Hazard,But Far Too Often Underrated

• Lightning Safety Education Can Help Scouts Improve Their Lightning Safety skills

• Scouters Must Play A Vital Role!• Lightning Safety Plan• In-School Education• Public Education

Lightning Safety

Questions?

Want To Do Lightning Safety Training?

Send me an email…Or Calldan@gainsllc.com

(201 247-0277)