Lightning deaths so far this year

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So far in 2009, ninety-one people have been struck by lightning in the United States according to struckbylightning.org.   Lightning strikes have resulted in fifteen fatalities so far this year.    Florida has by far the highest incidence rate with 19 reported strikes.

Lightning related injuries and fatalities peak during the summer months as more people are out enjoying the longer days and warmer weather.  The key to avoiding injury is to anticipate the danger and move to a safe location. As soon as you hear thunder, go inside a building or a vehicle. There is no safe place outside during a thunder storm.   Do not go back outside until thirty minutes have passed without any thunder or lightning activity. Please note that golf carts and picnic pavilions are not safe shelters.

Cell phones and other wireless devices do not present a risk. However, land lines, computers, and video games have all been associated with lightning injuries to people inside homes.   People have even been struck while unplugging electronics. Get a power surge protector for anything expensive and let your insurance worry about the rest of it. Nothing is more important than your health and safety. While 90% of people struck by lightning survive, the chronic health effects include pain and brain damage.   It’s not worth the risk.

There are about 20 million lightning ground strikes every year in the United States alone. This results in about $2 billion of damage annually and on average more people killed by lightning each year than any other weather related event.

Lightning bolts are about 2 inches wide, 50,000 degrees F, and travel at 90,000 miles per second. Thunder is the sound wave created when as a bolt of lightning superheats the air around it. A lightning bolt can spread out up to 60 feet around the point of impact.

The National Lightning Safety Institute web site has more information, pictures, stories and videos. They also have two current job openings. www.lightningsafety.com