We have had a breathtaking week of beautiful lightning storms. Unfortunately, the storms can also be very dangerous without proper protections.
According to the NOAA, which has a running ticker, there have been 22 lightning related deaths in the US so far in 2015. In addition to practicing good sense when it comes to personal safety, here is a reminder or how to protect yourself and your home:
- Get inside. If you can hear thunder, lightning is in the area and the safest spot is indoors.
- Stay inside. Do not resume outdoor activities until 30 minutes after you have heard thunder.
- No electronics. Once inside, avoid using electronics that are plugged in and don’t do dishes or take showers.
When lightning hits a house, the three biggest issues are: fire danger (many of you were probably redirected last week off of LeMaster when a homeowner smelled smoke in the attic during a thunderstorm), power surge damage and shock wave damage.
More information can be found on weather.gov.
