PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
800 AM EDT FRI JUN 27 2008

...LIGHTNING SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK CONTINUES...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JOINS WITH STATE EMERGENCY 
MANAGEMENT AGENCIES...THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY 
AND THE RED CROSS IN URGING ALL RESIDENTS TO LEARN HOW TO 
PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM THE HAZARDS OF LIGHTNING. 

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.

STILL EACH YEAR...ABOUT 61 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. 

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 HANDLE. 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. FRIENDS SOON STOP COMING BY OR ASKING THEM TO 
PARTICIPATE IN ACTIVITIES. FAMILIES WHO ARE NOT COMMITTED TO 
EACH OTHER BREAK UP. 

OBVIOUSLY...DEPRESSION BECOMES A BIG PROBLEM FOR PEOPLE WHO 
HAVE CHANGED SO MUCH AND LOST SO MUCH. SUICIDE IS SOMETHING 
ALMOST ALL SEVERELY INJURED PEOPLE HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT AT ONE 
TIME OR ANOTHER. OCCASIONALLY...THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE ACCESS 
TO MEDICAL CARE OR WHO DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING MAY 
RESORT TO ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUGS...PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO HAVE 
PREVIOUSLY USED THESE OPTIONS. FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF THE 
SURVIVOR MUST REMAIN SUPPORTIVE EVEN THOUGH IT MAY REQUIRE AN 
ADJUSTMENT IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SURVIVOR. AN INJURY 
SUCH AS THIS AFFECTS THE ENTIRE FAMILY...NOT JUST TO THE PERSON 
HIT. 

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. 

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. 

A SENSE OF HUMOR. 

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.

$$

OKEEFE