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What can you do to protect yourself?

Avoid being struck outdoors
If you are outside, try and get into a building or a car as soon as possible. If however, you get caught outside, keep the following things in mind:

• It is true that most lightning will strike the highest object in the area, so a person in the open would have to make oneself as small as possible. This is best done by crouching with one's feet together rather than lying down, thus preventing any path for the a current to flow through the body.
• For this reason, it is also very unwise to ride a bicycle, fly a kite, play golf, or ride a horse during a thunderstorm.
• Keep away from all tall or metal structures, especially telephone poles. Metal frames in rucksacks, metal farming equipment, fishing rods and metal racquets have been known to attract lightning.
• Avoid being the tallest thing projecting above the surrounding area. Don’t, for instance stand on a hilltop or a rocky outcrop.
• Get away from open water. Water conducts electricity and is best avoided in a lightning storm.
• Stay away from wire fences and washing lines, metal pipes and railings.
• Don’t huddle in a group. Spread out, so that there is distance of at least 15 feet between people.
• Stay in your car. Cars deflect even direct lightning strikes. Close the windows.

Avoid being struck indoors
If you are inside the house, you are unfortunately not out of danger. Keep the following safety tips in mind:

• Stay away from metal pipes, the stove, and parts of the plumbing system. They can act as conductors.
• Do not use electrical appliances during a storm. If lightning does strike the house, it could damage all these appliances.
• Switch off and unplug TV sets and computers. Modems on computers often get destroyed if they are not unplugged.
• Do not speak on the telephone during a thunderstorm. Not only could the telephone be destroyed, but you could receive a nasty shock.

What to do when someone has been struck by lightning
Someone who has been struck by lightning carries no electrical charge and can be touched. Remember the following:

• Call for help immediately.
• The injured person has received a huge electrical shock and will probably be burnt where the lightning struck, as well as where it left the body.
• Being struck by lightning can cause nervous system damage, loss of hearing and eyesight, and broken bones. All of these need to be treated by emergency personnel.
• Do CPR (cardio pulmonary resuscitation) if the person’s breathing has stopped. The Red Cross offers First Aid courses, so contact them if you want to find out how to do this.

(Susan Erasmus, Health24)

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