CTZ001-013-MAZ001-025-NYZ032-033-038>043-047>054-058>061-063>066-
082>084-VTZ013>015-301200-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
800 AM EDT FRI JUN 29 2012

...LIGHTNING SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK CONTINUES...

TODAY WE FOCUS ON THE MEDICAL ASPECTS OF LIGHNTING. 

PREVENTION IS THE KEY. ALL THIS WEEK WE HAVE STRESSED THE 
IMPORTANCE OF GETTING OUT OF HARMS WAY WHEN LIGHTNING THREATENS. 
THE BEST WAY TO AVOID BEING A LIGHTING VICTIM IS TO SEEK SAFE 
SHELTHER AT THE FIRST SIGN OF LIGHTNING.

EACH YEAR...ABOUT 54 PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES ARE KILLED 
BY LIGHTNING. WHAT ARE THE ODDS OF BEING STRUCK BY LIGHTNING IN 
THE UNITED STATES. ABOUT ONE IN FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND. THE ODDS 
OF BEING STRUCK IN AN 80 YEAR LIFETIME...ONE IN FIVE THOUSAND. 

IF AN INDIVIDUAL IS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING...SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION 
IMMEDIATELY BY CALLING 9 1 1. ALL DEATHS FROM LIGHTNING ARE FROM 
CARDIAC ARREST OR STOPPED BREATHING AT THE TIME OF THE STRIKE. C 
P R OR MOUTH TO MOUTH RESUSCITATION IS THE RECOMMENDED FIRST AID.  

HOW DO LIGHTNING INJURIES AFFECT PEOPLE? LIGHTNING TENDS TO BE A 
NERVOUS SYSTEM INJURY AND MAY AFFECT THE BRAIN...AUTONOMIC 
NERVOUS SYSTEM AND THE PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. WHEN THE BRAIN 
IS AFFECTED...THE PERSON OFTEN HAS DIFFICULTY WITH SHORT TERM 
MEMORY. EARLY ON...SURVIVORS MAY COMPLAIN OF INTENSE HEADACHES... 
RINGING IN THE EARS...DIZZINESS...NAUSEA...VOMITING AND OTHER 
POST CONCUSSION TYPES OF SYMPTOMS. SURVIVORS MAY ALSO EXPERIENCE 
DIFFICULTY SLEEPING...SOMETIMES SLEEPING EXCESSIVELY AT FIRST AND 
THEN ONLY TWO OR THREE HOURS AT A TIME. A FEW MAY DEVELOP SEIZURE 
LIKE ACTIVITY SEVERAL WEEKS TO MONTHS AFTER THE INJURY. 

SURVIVORS OFTEN COMPLAIN OF BECOMING EXHAUSTED AFTER ONLY A FEW 
HOURS OF WORK. THIS MAY BE BECAUSE TASKS THEY USED TO DO 
AUTOMATICALLY NOW REQUIRE INTENSE CONCENTRATION. MANY RETURN TO 
WORK BUT FIND THAT THEY CANNOT DO ALL OF THE ACTIVITIES REQUIRED 
AT THEIR JOB. ANOTHER COMMON...OFTEN DELAYED...PROBLEM FOR SOME 
SURVIVORS IS PAIN...ALSO DIFFICULT TO QUANTIFY AND MANAGE. THE 
PAIN MAY NOT BE FROM CHRONIC INTENSE HEADACHES BUT MAY BE IN THE 
BACK OR IN AN EXTREMITY. 

MANY LIGHTNING VICTIMS MAY SUFFER PERSONALITY CHANGES BECAUSE OF 
FRONTAL LOBE DAMAGE AND BECOME QUITE IRRITABLE AND EASY TO ANGER. 
PEOPLE WHO WAKE UP AFTER THE INJURY OFTEN DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY 
TO EXPRESS WHAT IS WRONG WITH THEM...MAY NOT RECOGNIZE MUCH... 
BECOME EMBARRASSED WHEN THEY CANNOT CARRY ON A CONVERSATION... 
WORK AT THEIR PREVIOUS JOB...OR DO THE ACTIVITIES THAT THEY USED 
TO ENJOY. AS A RESULT...MANY ISOLATE THEMSELVES...WITHDRAWING 
FROM FRIENDS...FAMILY AND OTHER ACTIVITIES. FRIENDS...FAMILY 
AND CO WORKERS WHO SEE THE SAME EXTERNAL PERSON...MAY NOT 
UNDERSTAND WHY THE SURVIVOR IS SO DIFFERENT. AN INJURY SUCH AS 
THIS AFFECTS THE ENTIRE FAMILY...NOT JUST TO THE PERSON HIT. 

THE FOUR MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS IN OVERCOMING DISABILITY FROM 
LIGHTNING INJURY ARE... 

SUPPORTIVE FAMILY FRIENDS NETWORK. 

BECOMING YOUR OWN ADVOCATE AND LEARNING AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ABOUT 
THIS DISABILITY. 

A PHYSICIAN WILLING TO LISTEN...READ...LEARN AND WORK WITH THE 
SURVIVOR AND THEIR FAMILY. 

TOMORROW WE WILL WRAP UP LIGHTNING SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK WITH A 
LOOK BACK AT THE KEY POINTS OF THE WEEK.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON LIGHTNING SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK...GO TO 
OUR WEB SITE. WWW.WEATHER.GOV AND THEN CLICK ON EASTERN NEW YORK 
OR WESTERN NEW ENGLAND. FINALLY...SELECT OUR LIGHTNING SAFETY 
AWARENESS WEEK LINK.

$$
DIRIENZO