ZCZC PWMPNSCAR TTAA00 KCAR DDHHMM MEZ001>006-010-011-015>017-029>032-261200- PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME 800 AM EDT MON JUN 25 2007 ...THIS PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT IS IN CONJUNCTION WITH LIGHTNING AWARENESS WEEK... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS DECLARED THE WEEK OF JUNE 24TH THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2007 LIGHTNING SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK. THIS IS THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF FIVE PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENTS TO BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN CARIBOU, MAINE CONTAINING INFORMATION ON LIGHTNING AND LIGHTNING SAFETY. LIGHTNING AND LIGHTNING SAFETY--AN INTRODUCTION SUMMER IS THE PEAK SEASON FOR ONE OF THE NATION'S DEADLIEST WEATHER PHENOMENA -- LIGHTNING. IN THE UNITED STATES, THERE ARE AN ESTIMATED 25 MILLION CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING FLASHES EACH YEAR. WHILE LIGHTNING CAN BE FASCINATING TO WATCH, IT IS ALSO EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. EACH ONE OF THOSE 25 MILLION FLASHES IS A POTENTIAL KILLER. IN THE UNITED STATES AN AVERAGE OF 66 PEOPLE ARE KILLED EACH YEAR BY LIGHTNING. IN 2006 THERE WERE 47 CONFIRMED DEATHS AND 246 CONFIRMED INJURIES. THE INJURY NUMBER IS LIKELY FAR LOWER THAN IT SHOULD BE BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE DO NOT SEEK HELP OR DOCTORS DO NOT RECORD IT AS A LIGHTNING INJURY. PEOPLE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING SUFFER FROM A VARIETY OF LONG-TERM, DEBILITATING SYMPTOMS INCLUDING MEMORY LOSS, ATTENTION DEFICITS, SLEEP DISORDERS, NUMBNESS, DIZZINESS, STIFFNESS IN JOINTS, IRRITABILITY, FATIGUE, WEAKNESS, MUSCLE SPASMS, DEPRESSION, AND AN INABILITY TO SIT FOR LONG. WHILE MANY PEOPLE THINK THEY ARE AWARE OF THE DANGERS OF LIGHTNING, THE VAST MAJORITY ARE NOT. THIS LACK OF UNDERSTANDING WITH REGARD TO THE DANGERS OF LIGHTNING CONTINUES TO BE A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM IN THE UNITED STATES. MANY PEOPLE DON'T ACT TO PROTECT THEIR LIVES, THEIR PROPERTY, AND THE LIVES OF OTHERS IN A TIMELY MANNER SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND ALL THE DANGERS ASSOCIATED WITH THUNDERSTORMS AND LIGHTNING. THIS LACK OF KNOWLEDGE CAN LEAD TO VERY TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES. EDUCATION AND AWARENESS ARE KEYS TO REDUCING THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. PEOPLE NEED TO BECOME AWARE OF THE TYPE OF BEHAVIOR THAT PUTS THEM AT A GREATER RISK OF BEING STRUCK BY LIGHTNING, AND WHAT THEY CAN DO TO REDUCE THAT RISK. ADULTS IN CHARGE OF OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT INVOLVE CHILDREN, SHOULD HAVE AND FOLLOW A SPECIFIC LIGHTNING SAFETY PLAN SO THAT THEY MINIMIZE THE DANGERS OF LIGHTNING FOR THE PARTICIPANTS AND SPECTATORS. THE GREATEST NUMBER OF LIGHTNING DEATHS AND INJURIES IN THE UNITED STATES OCCURS DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS WHEN THE COMBINATION OF LIGHTNING AND OUTDOOR SUMMERTIME ACTIVITIES REACHES A PEAK. DURING THE SUMMER, PEOPLE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE WARM WEATHER TO ENJOY A MULTITUDE OF OUTDOOR RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES. UNFORTUNATELY, THOSE OUTDOOR RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES PUT THEM AT GREATER RISK OF BEING STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. WHILE VIRTUALLY ALL PEOPLE TAKE SOME PROTECTIVE ACTIONS DURING THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THUNDERSTORMS, MANY LEAVE THEMSELVES VULNERABLE TO BEING STRUCK BY LIGHTNING AS THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH, DEPART, OR ARE NEARBY. LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE AS MUCH AS 10 MILES OR MORE AWAY FROM THE RAIN AREA OF A THUNDERSTORM; THAT'S ABOUT THE DISTANCE THAT YOU CAN HEAR THE THUNDER FROM THE STORM. IN SOME INSTANCES WHEN A STORM IS TEN MILES AWAY, IT MAY EVEN BE DIFFICULT TO TELL THAT A STORM IS NEARBY. HOWEVER, IF YOU HEAR THE THUNDER, CHANCES ARE THAT YOU ARE WITHIN STRIKING DISTANCE OF THAT STORM. INSIDE HOMES, PEOPLE MUST ALSO AVOID ACTIVITIES WHICH PUT THEIR LIVES AT RISK FROM A POSSIBLE LIGHTNING STRIKE. IN PARTICULAR, PEOPLE SHOULD STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS AND AVOID CONTACT WITH ANYTHING THAT CONDUCTS ELECTRICITY. PEOPLE MAY ALSO WANT TO TAKE CERTAIN ACTIONS WELL BEFORE THE STORM THREATENS, IN ORDER TO PROTECT PROPERTY WITHIN THEIR HOMES, SUCH AS ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT. FINALLY, IN THE UNFORTUNATE EVENT THAT A PERSON IS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING, MEDICAL CARE MAY BE NEEDED IMMEDIATELY TO SAVE THE PERSON'S LIFE. CARDIAC ARREST AND IRREGULARITIES, BURNS, AND NERVE DAMAGE ARE COMMON IN CASES WHERE PEOPLE ARE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. HOWEVER, WITH PROPER TREATMENT, INCLUDING CPR IF NECESSARY, MOST VICTIMS SURVIVE A LIGHTNING STRIKE, ALTHOUGH THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS ON THEIR LIVES AND THE LIVES OF FAMILY MEMBERS CAN BE DEVASTATING. LIGHTNING FACT FOR THE DAY: MOST LIGHTNING DEATHS OCCUR DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS, AND DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THESE ARE THE TIMES WHEN LIGHTNING IS MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR AND WHEN PEOPLE ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE CAUGHT OUT-OF-DOORS. LIGHTNING QUESTION OF THE DAY: WHAT ARE MY CHANCES OF BEING STRUCK BY LIGHTNING? ANSWER: THIS IS A SEEMINGLY SIMPLE QUESTION, BUT THERE IS NO SINGLE ANSWER THAT FITS EVERYONE. THE AVERAGE ANNUAL PER CAPITA STRIKE RATE IN THE UNITED STATES IS AROUND 1 IN 600,000. HOWEVER THIS DOES NOT MEAN YOUR ODDES OF BEING STRUCK ARE 1 IN 600,000. THE ODDS OF BEING STRUCK VARY FROM PERSON TO PERSON BECAUSE THEY DEPEND ON SEVERAL FACTORS. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ARE: 1. GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION AND CLIMATOLOGY 2. DIURNAL AND ANNUAL CLIMATOLOGY 3. PERSONAL LIFESTYLE/HOBBIES WHERE THERE IS A LOT OF LIGHTNING THERE IS AN INCREASED CHANCE OF BEING STRUCK. THE CENTRAL FLORIDA PENINSULA FROM TAMPA BAY TO CAPE CANAVERAL HAS THE HIGHEST LIGHTNING CONCENTRATION IN THE UNITED STATES. MORE THAN 90% OF THE LIGHTNING IN THIS AREA OCCURS BETWEEN MAY AND OCTOBER BETWEEN THE HOURS OF NOON AND MIDNIGHT. HERE'S A LIST OF TOPICS TO BE COVERED LATER THIS WEEK: TUESDAY - THE SCIENCE OF THUNDERSTORMS AND LIGHTNING WEDNESDAY - OUTDOOR SAFETY THURSDAY - SAFE SHELTERS AND INDOOR SAFETY. FRIDAY - THE FACTS ABOUT LIGHTNING STRIKE VICTIMS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT LIGHTNING OR LIGHTNING SAFETY, VISIT NOAA'S LIGHTNING SAFETY AWARENESS WEB SITE AT: HTTP://WWW.LIGHTNINGSAFETY.NOAA.GOV TONY STUREY, WARNING COORDINATION METEOROLOGIST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU...MAINE NNNN