NOUS42 KCHS 062018
PNSCHS
GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040-042>045-047>051-231000-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
500 AM EDT THU JUN 22 2006

...LIGHTNING AWARENESS WEEK CONTINUES THROUGH SATURDAY...

...SAFE SHELTERS AND INDOOR SAFETY...

A HOUSE OR OTHER SUBSTANTIAL BUILDING OFFERS THE BEST PROTECTION
FROM LIGHTNING. IN ASSESSING THE SAFETY PROVIDED BY A PARTICULAR
STRUCTURE...IT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER WHAT HAPPENS IF THE
STRUCTURE GETS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING..RATHER THAN WHETHER THE
STRUCTURE WILL BE HIT BY LIGHTNING.  FOR A SHELTER TO PROVIDE
PROTECTION FROM LIGHTNING...IT MUST CONTAIN A MECHANISM FOR
CONDUCTING THE ELECTRICAL CURRENT FROM THE POINT OF CONTACT TO THE
GROUND. THESE MECHANISMS MAY BE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE STRUCTURE...
MAY BE CONTAINED WITHIN THE WALLS OF THE STRUCTURE OR MAY BE A
COMBINATION OF THE TWO. ON THE OUTSIDE...LIGHTNING CAN TRAVEL ALONG
THE OUTER SHELL OF THE BUILDING OR MAY FOLLOW METAL GUTTERS AND
DOWNSPOUTS TO THE GROUND. INSIDE A STRUCTURE...LIGHTNING CAN
FOLLOW CONDUCTORS SUCH AS THE ELECTRICAL WIRING...PLUMBING AND
TELEPHONE LINES TO THE GROUND.

UNLESS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO BE LIGHTNING SAFE...SMALL STRUCTURES
DO LITTLE...IF ANYTHING...TO PROTECT OCCUPANTS FROM LIGHTNING. 
MANY SMALL OPEN SHELTERS ON ATHLETIC FIELDS...GOLF COURSES...PARKS...
ROADSIDE PICNIC AREAS...SCHOOLYARDS AND ELSEWHERE ARE DESIGNED TO
PROTECT PEOPLE FROM RAIN AND SUN...BUT NOT LIGHTNING. A SHELTER THAT
DOES NOT CONTAIN PLUMBING OR WIRING THROUGHOUT...OR SOME OTHER
MECHANISM FOR GROUNDING FROM THE ROOF TO GROUND IS NOT SAFE.
SMALL WOODEN...VINYL OR METAL SHEDS OFFER LITTLE OR NO PROTECTION
FROM LIGHTNING AND SHOULD BE AVOIDED DURING THUNDERSTORMS.

THERE ARE THREE MAIN WAYS LIGHTNING ENTERS HOMES AND BUILDINGS:
1...A DIRECT STRIKE.
2...THROUGH WIRES OR PIPES THAT EXTEND OUTSIDE THE STRUCTURE.
3...THROUGH THE GROUND. 

REGARDLESS OF THE METHOD OF ENTRANCE...ONCE IN A STRUCTURE...THE 
LIGHTNING CAN TRAVEL THROUGH THE ELECTRICAL...PHONE...PLUMBING AND 
RADIO OR TELEVISION RECEPTION SYSTEMS. LIGHTNING CAN ALSO TRAVEL 
THROUGH ANY METAL WIRES OR BARS IN CONCRETE WALLS OR FLOORING.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT LIGHTNING OR LIGHTNING SAFETY...
VISIT NOAA/S LIGHTNING SAFETY AWARENESS WEB SITE AT...

HTTP://WWW.LIGHTNINGSAFETY.NOAA.GOV

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