NZUS01 KLZK DDHHMM
WRKPNS
ARZ003>007-012>016-021>025-030>034-037>047-052>057-062>069-252000-
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
600 AM CDT THU JUN 25 2009
...SAFE SHELTERS AND LIGHTNING SAFETY INDOORS...
THIS WEEK 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 SAFE SHELTERS AND INDOOR SAFETY.
SAFE SHELTERS.
A HOUSE OR OTHER SUBSTANTIAL BUILDING OFFERS THE BEST PROTECTION
FROM LIGHTNING. IN ASSESSING THE SAFETY PROVIDED BY A PARTICULAR
STRUCTURE...IT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER WHAT HAPPENS IF THE
STRUCTURE GETS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING...RATHER THAN WHETHER THE
STRUCTURE WILL BE HIT BY LIGHTNING. FOR A SHELTER TO PROVIDE
PROTECTION FROM LIGHTNING...IT MUST CONTAIN A MECHANISM FOR
CONDUCTING THE ELECTRICAL CURRENT FROM THE POINT OF CONTACT TO THE
GROUND. THESE MECHANISMS MAY BE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE STRUCTURE...
MAY BE CONTAINED WITHIN THE WALLS OF THE STRUCTURE...OR MAY BE A
COMBINATION OF THE TWO. ON THE OUTSIDE...LIGHTNING CAN TRAVEL ALONG
THE OUTER SHELL OF THE BUILDING OR MAY FOLLOW METAL GUTTERS AND
DOWNSPOUTS TO THE GROUND. INSIDE A STRUCTURE...LIGHTNING CAN FOLLOW
CONDUCTORS SUCH AS THE ELECTRICAL WIRING...PLUMBING...AND TELEPHONE
LINES TO THE GROUND.
AVOID UNSAFE SHELTERS.
UNLESS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO BE LIGHTNING SAFE...SMALL STRUCTURES
DO LITTLE...IF ANYTHING...TO PROTECT OCCUPANTS FROM LIGHTNING. MANY
SMALL OPEN SHELTERS ON ATHLETIC FIELDS...GOLF COURSES...PARKS...
ROADSIDE PICNIC AREAS...SCHOOLYARDS AND ELSEWHERE ARE DESIGNED TO
PROTECT PEOPLE FROM RAIN AND SUN...BUT NOT LIGHTNING. A SHELTER THAT
DOES NOT CONTAIN PLUMBING OR WIRING THROUGHOUT...OR SOME OTHER
MECHANISM FOR GROUNDING FROM THE ROOF TO GROUND IS NOT SAFE. SMALL
WOODEN...VINYL...OR METAL SHEDS OFFER LITTLE OR NO PROTECTION FROM
LIGHTNING AND SHOULD BE AVOIDED DURING THUNDERSTORMS.
HOW LIGHTNING ENTERS A HOUSE OR BUILDING.
THERE ARE THREE MAIN WAYS LIGHTNING ENTERS HOMES AND BUILDINGS.
1...A DIRECT STRIKE
2...THROUGH WIRES OR PIPES THAT EXTEND OUTSIDE THE STRUCTURE
3...THROUGH THE GROUND.
REGARDLESS OF THE METHOD OF ENTRANCE...ONCE IN A STRUCTURE...THE
LIGHTNING CAN TRAVEL THROUGH THE ELECTRICAL...PHONE...PLUMBING...
AND RADIO OR TELEVISION RECEPTION SYSTEMS. LIGHTNING CAN ALSO TRAVEL
THROUGH ANY METAL WIRES OR BARS IN CONCRETE WALLS OR FLOORING.
STAY SAFE WHILE INSIDE.
PHONE USE IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF INDOOR LIGHTNING INJURIES IN THE
UNITED STATES. LIGHTNING CAN TRAVEL LONG DISTANCES IN BOTH PHONE AND
ELECTRICAL WIRES...PARTICULARLY IN RURAL AREAS. STAY AWAY FROM
WINDOWS AND DOORS AS THESE CAN PROVIDE THE PATH FOR A DIRECT STRIKE
TO ENTER A HOME. DO NOT LIE ON THE CONCRETE FLOOR OF A GARAGE AS IT
LIKELY CONTAINS A WIRE MESH. IN GENERAL...BASEMENTS ARE SAFE PLACES
TO GO DURING THUNDERSTORMS. HOWEVER...THERE ARE SOME THINGS TO KEEP
IN MIND. AVOID CONTACT WITH CONCRETE WALLS WHICH MAY CONTAIN METAL
REINFORCING BARS. AVOID WASHERS AND DRYERS SINCE THEY NOT ONLY HAVE
CONTACTS WITH THE PLUMBING AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS...BUT ALSO CONTAIN
AN ELECTRICAL PATH TO THE OUTSIDE THROUGH THE DRYER VENT.
REMEMBER YOUR PETS.
YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER THE SAFETY OF YOUR FAMILY PETS DURING
THUNDERSTORMS. DOG HOUSES ARE NOT LIGHTNING SAFE. DOGS THAT ARE
CHAINED TO TREES OR CHAINED TO WIRE RUNNERS CAN EASILY FALL VICTIM
TO A LIGHTNING STRIKE.
PROTECT YOUR PERSONAL PROPERTY.
LIGHTNING ALSO CAUSES SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO PERSONAL PROPERTY EACH
YEAR. IN ADDITION TO DIRECT STRIKES...LIGHTNING GENERATES ELECTRICAL
SURGES THAT CAN DAMAGE ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT SOME DISTANCE FROM THE
ACTUAL STRIKE. TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE...UNPLUG ANY APPLIANCES OR
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT FROM ALL CONDUCTORS WELL BEFORE A THUNDERSTORM
THREATENS. THIS INCLUDES NOT ONLY THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM...BUT ALSO
THE RECEPTION SYSTEM. IF YOU PLAN TO BE AWAY FROM YOUR HOME WHEN
THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE...BE SURE TO UNPLUG UNNEEDED EQUIPMENT
BEFORE YOU LEAVE.
SUMMARY OF LIGHTNING SAFETY TIPS FOR INSIDE THE HOME.
1...AVOID CONTACT WITH CORDED PHONES.
2...AVOID CONTACT WITH ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT OR CORDS. IF YOU PLAN TO
UNPLUG ANY ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT...DO SO WELL BEFORE THE STORM
ARRIVES.
3...AVOID CONTACT WITH PLUMBING. DO NOT WASH YOUR HANDS...DO NOT
TAKE A SHOWER...DO NOT WASH DISHES...AND DO NOT DO LAUNDRY.
4...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS...AND STAY OFF PORCHES.
5...DO NOT LIE ON CONCRETE FLOORS AND DO NOT LEAN AGAINST CONCRETE
WALLS.
&&
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON LIGHTNING SAFETY CAN BE FOUND ON THE
INTERNET AT WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/LZK
$$
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