NZUS01 KLZK DDHHMM
WRKPNS
ARZ003>007-012>016-021>025-030>034-037>047-052>057-062>069-242000-
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
600 AM CDT WED JUN 24 2009
...LIGHTNING SAFETY OUTDOORS...
THIS IS NATIONAL LIGHTNING SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK.
GOVERNOR MIKE BEBEE HAS DECLARED IT LIGHTNING SAFETY AWARENESS
WEEK IN ARKANSAS AS WELL. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE...THE
ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT...THE ARKANSAS
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND TOURISM...THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF
ENGINEERS...THE ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES OF ARKANSAS...AND ENTERGY
ARKANSAS INCORPORATED ARE SPONSORS OF THE WEEK IN ARKANSAS.
THE TOPIC FOR TODAY IS LIGHTNING SAFETY OUTDOORS.
THE LIGHTNING SAFETY COMMUNITY REMINDS YOU THAT THERE IS VERY
LITTLE YOU CAN DO TO SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCE YOUR RISK IF YOU ARE
CAUGHT OUTSIDE AND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING. IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE
AND LIGHTNING STARTS TO OCCUR...THE COMPLETELY SAFE ACTION IS
TO EITHER GO INSIDE A SAFE BUILDING OR GO INSIDE A SAFE
VEHICLE.
SAFE BUILDINGS...
A SAFE BUILDING IS ONE THAT IS FULLY ENCLOSED WITH A ROOF...
WALLS...AND FLOOR...AND HAS PLUMBING AND WIRING. EXAMPLES OF
SAFE BUILDINGS INCLUDE A HOME...SCHOOL...OFFICE BUILDING...
OR SHOPPING CENTER.
ONCE INSIDE...YOU SHOULD TAKE SOME BASIC PRECAUTIONS...SUCH
AS STAYING AWAY FROM ALL TYPES OF PLUMBING...AND NOT BEING IN
CONTACT WITH ANY TYPE OF WIRING WHICH IS CONNECTED TO THE
OUTSIDE.
UNSAFE BUILDINGS...
SOME BUILDINGS ARE VERY UNSAFE TO BE IN WHEN LIGHTNING IS
OCCURRING. EXAMPLES OF BUILDINGS WHICH ARE UNSAFE INCLUDE
CARPORTS...COVERED BUT OPEN GARAGES...COVERED PATIOS...PICNIC
SHELTERS...BEACH SHACKS AND PAVILIONS...GOLF SHELTERS...
CAMPING TENTS...LARGE OUTDOOR TENTS...BASEBALL DUGOUTS...AND
OTHER SMALL BUILDINGS SUCH AS SHEDS AND GREENHOUSES THAT DO NOT
HAVE ELECTRICITY OR PLUMBING.
SAFE VEHICLES...
A SAFE VEHICLE IS ANY FULLY ENCLOSED METAL TOPPED VEHICLE.
EXAMPLES INCLUDE A CAR...SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE...
MINIVAN...BUS...ETC.
IF YOU DRIVE INTO A THUNDERSTORM...USE EXTRA CAUTION AND
EITHER SLOW DOWN OR PULL OFF THE ROAD INTO A SAFE AREA. DO NOT
LEAVE THE VEHICLE.
DO NOT USE ELECTRONIC DEVICES...SUCH AS RADIO COMMUNICATIONS
EQUIPMENT...DURING A THUNDERSTORM. LIGHTNING STRIKING THE
VEHICLE...ESPECIALLY THE ANTENNAS...COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY
IF YOU ARE TALKING ON THE RADIO OR HOLDING THE MICROPHONE AT THE
TIME OF THE FLASH. EMERGENCY OFFICIALS SUCH AS POLICE OFFICERS...
FIREFIGHTERS...AND SECURITY OFFICERS...SHOULD USE EXTREME CAUTION
USING RADIO EQUIPMENT WHEN LIGHTNING IS IN THE AREA.
UNSAFE VEHICLES...
SOME VEHICLES ARE VERY UNSAFE TO BE IN WHEN LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING.
THESE INCLUDE ANY VEHICLE THAT IS NOT FULLY ENCLOSED WITH A METAL
ROOF...SUCH AS A CONVERTIBLE...OR IS OPEN TO THE OUTSIDE...SUCH AS
A GOLF CART...RIDING LAWNMOWER...OR OPEN CAB CONSTRUCTION
EQUIPMENT.
BOLTS FROM THE BLUE...
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN A LIGHTNING FLASH CAN TRAVEL HORIZONTALLY
MANY MILES AWAY FROM THE THUNDERSTORM AND THEN STRIKE THE GROUND.
THESE TYPES OF LIGHTNING FLASHES ARE CALLED BOLTS FROM THE BLUE
BECAUSE THEY SEEM TO COME OUT OF A CLEAR BLUE SKY. WHILE BLUE SKY
MAY EXIST OVERHEAD...OR IN PART OF THE SKY OVERHEAD...A
THUNDERSTORM IS ALWAYS LOCATED 5 TO 10 MILES...OR SOMETIMES EVEN
FARTHER...AWAY. ALTHOUGH THESE FLASHES ARE RARE...THEY HAVE BEEN
KNOWN TO CAUSE FATALITIES.
WHEN A SAFE LOCATION IS NEARBY...
SEEK SAFE SHELTER WHEN YOU FIRST HEAR THUNDER...SEE LIGHTNING...
OR OBSERVE DARK THREATENING CLOUDS DEVELOPING OVERHEAD.
STAY INSIDE UNTIL 30 MINUTES AFTER YOU LAST HEAR THUNDER.
PLAN AHEAD. YOUR BEST SOURCE OF UP TO DATE WEATHER INFORMATION
IS A NOAA WEATHER RADIO. PORTABLE WEATHER RADIOS ARE HANDY FOR
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A WEATHER RADIO...STAY UP
TO DATE VIA THE INTERNET...TV...LOCAL RADIO...OR CELL PHONE. IF
YOU ARE IN A GROUP...MAKE SURE ALL LEADERS OR MEMBERS OF THE
GROUP HAVE A LIGHTNING SAFETY PLAN AND ARE READY TO USE IT.
DETERMINE HOW FAR YOU ARE FROM A SAFE ENCLOSED BUILDING OR A SAFE
VEHICLE. AS SOON AS YOU HEAR THUNDER...SEE LIGHTNING OR SEE DARK
THREATENING CLOUDS...MOVE QUICKLY TO THE SAFE LOCATION. IF YOU ARE
PART OF A GROUP...PARTICULARLY A LARGE ONE...YOU WILL NEED MORE TIME
TO GET ALL GROUP MEMBERS TO SAFETY.
WHEN A SAFE LOCATION IS NOT NEARBY...
THE LIGHTNING SAFETY COMMUNITY REMINDS YOU THAT THERE IS NO SAFE
PLACE TO BE OUTSIDE IN A THUNDERSTORM. IF YOU ABSOLUTELY CANNOT
GET TO SAFETY...THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS DESIGNED TO HELP YOU
LESSEN THE THREAT OF BEING STRUCK WHILE OUTSIDE. DO NOT KID
YOURSELF...YOU ARE NOT SAFE OUTSIDE.
BEING STRANDED OUTDOORS WHEN LIGHTNING IS STRIKING NEARBY IS A
HARROWING EXPERIENCE. YOUR FIRST AND ONLY TRULY SAFE CHOICE IS TO
GET TO A SAFE BUILDING OR A SAFE VEHICLE. IF YOU ARE CAMPING...
CLIMBING...ON A MOTORCYCLE OR BICYCLE...BOATING...SCUBA DIVING...
OR ENJOYING OTHER OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES AND CANNOT GET TO A SAFE
VEHICLE OR SAFE SHELTER...FOLLOW THESE TIPS AS A LAST RESORT. THESE
TIPS WILL NOT PREVENT YOU FROM BEING STRUCK BY LIGHTNING...JUST
SLIGHTLY LESSEN THE ODDS.
DO NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER TALL ISOLATED TREES. THE TREE MAY HELP YOU
STAY DRY BUT WILL SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE YOUR RISK OF BEING STRUCK
BY LIGHTNING. RAIN WILL NOT KILL YOU...BUT THE LIGHTNING CAN.
DO NOT SEEK SHELTER IN UNSAFE BUILDINGS...SUCH AS PICNIC SHELTERS...
BEACH SHACKS OR PAVILIONS...CARPORTS...COVERED BUT OPEN GARAGES...
COVERED PATIOS...GOLF SHELTERS...CAMPING TENTS...LARGE OUTDOOR
TENTS...BASEBALL DUGOUTS...AND OTHER SMALL BUILDINGS...SUCH AS
SHEDS AND GREENHOUSES THAT DO NOT HAVE ELECTRICITY OR PLUMBING.
STAY AWAY FROM TALL ISOLATED OBJECTS. LIGHTNING TYPICALLY STRIKES
THE TALLEST OBJECT. THAT MAY BE YOU IN AN OPEN FIELD OR CLEARING.
IF CAMPING AND YOU ARE FAR AWAY FROM A SAFE VEHICLE OR A SAFE
BUILDING...DO NOT PLACE YOUR CAMPSITE IN AN OPEN FIELD...ON THE TOP
OF A HILL...OR ON A RIDGE TOP. KEEP YOUR SITE AWAY FROM TALL ISOLATED
TREES OR OTHER TALL OBJECTS. IF YOU ARE IN A FOREST...STAY NEAR A
LOWER STAND OF TREES. IF YOU ARE CAMPING IN AN OPEN AREA...SET UP
CAMP IN A VALLEY...RAVINE...OR OTHER LOW AREA. A TENT OFFERS NO
PROTECTION FROM LIGHTNING.
WET ROPES CAN MAKE EXCELLENT CONDUCTORS. THIS IS BAD NEWS WHEN IT
COMES TO LIGHTNING. IF YOU ARE MOUNTAIN CLIMBING AND SEE
LIGHTNING...AND CAN DO SO SAFELY...REMOVE UNNECESSARY ROPES
EXTENDED OR ATTACHED TO YOU. IF A ROPE IS EXTENDED ACROSS A
MOUNTAIN FACE AND LIGHTNING MAKES CONTACT WITH IT...THE ELECTRICAL
CURRENT WILL LIKELY TRAVEL ALONG THE ROPE...ESPECIALLY IF IT IS WET.
STAY AWAY FROM METAL OBJECTS...SUCH AS FENCES AND POLES. METAL IS
AN EXCELLENT CONDUCTOR OF ELECTRICITY. THE CURRENT FROM A
LIGHTNING FLASH WILL EASILY TRAVEL FOR LONG DISTANCES.
SITTING OR CROUCHING ON THE GROUND IS NOT SAFE.
ON THE WATER...
THE VAST MAJORITY OF LIGHTNING INJURIES AND DEATHS ON BOATS OCCUR
ON SMALL BOATS WITH NO CABIN. IT IS CRUCIAL TO LISTEN TO THE
WEATHER ON A SMALL VESSEL WITHOUT A CABIN. IF THUNDERSTORMS ARE
FORECAST...DO NOT GO OUT. IF YOU ARE OUT ON THE WATER AND SKIES ARE
THREATENING...GET BACK TO LAND AND FIND A SAFE BUILDING OR SAFE
VEHICLE.
BOATS WITH CABINS OFFER A SAFER BUT NOT PERFECT ENVIRONMENT.
SAFETY IS INCREASED FURTHER IF THE BOAT HAS A PROPERLY INSTALLED
LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM. IF YOU ARE INSIDE THE CABIN...STAY
AWAY FROM METAL AND ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. STAY OFF THE RADIO
UNLESS IT IS AN ABSOLUTE EMERGENCY.
IF YOU ARE ON A SMALL VESSEL THAT HAS AN ANCHOR AND LIGHTNING
BECOMES A THREAT...YOU SHOULD PROPERLY ANCHOR THE BOAT AND THEN
GET AS LOW AS POSSIBLE.
LARGE BOATS WITH CABINS...ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH LIGHTNING
PROTECTION SYSTEMS PROPERLY INSTALLED...OR METAL MARINE VESSELS
ARE RELATIVELY SAFE. REMEMBER TO STAY INSIDE THE CABIN AND AWAY
FROM ANY METAL SURFACES.
SCUBA DIVERS...
IF THE BOAT YOU ARE IN DOES NOT HAVE A SAFE CABIN TO BE IN DURING
LIGHTNING...YOU ARE SAFER DIVING DEEP INTO THE WATER FOR THE
DURATION OF THE STORM OR FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. YOUR FIRST
CHOICE IS TO HEAD IN AND GET IN A SAFE BUILDING OR SAFE VEHICLE.
&&
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON LIGHTNING SAFETY IS AVAILABLE ON THE
INTERNET AT WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/LZK
$$
28
|
