PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
800 AM EDT WED JUN 25 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 LOOK AT OUTDOOR LIGHTNING SAFETY. 

NO PLACE IS ABSOLUTELY SAFE FROM LIGHTNING. HOWEVER...SOME 
PLACES ARE MUCH SAFER THAN OTHERS. THE SAFEST LOCATION DURING 
LIGHTNING ACTIVITY IS A LARGE ENCLOSED BUILDING...NOT A PICNIC 
SHELTER OR SHED. THE SECOND SAFEST LOCATION IS AN ENCLOSED METAL 
VEHICLE. 

A SAFE BUILDING IS ONE THAT IS FULLY ENCLOSED WITH A 
ROOF...WALLS AND FLOOR...SUCH AS A HOME...SCHOOL...OFFICE 
BUILDING OR A SHOPPING MALL. EVEN INSIDE...YOU SHOULD TAKE 
PRECAUTIONS. PICNIC SHELTERS...DUGOUTS...SHEDS AND OTHER 
PARTIALLY OPEN OR SMALL STRUCTURES ARE NOT SAFE. 

EXAMPLES OF BUILDINGS WHICH ARE UNSAFE INCLUDE CAR 
PORTS...COVERED BUT OPEN GARAGES...COVERED PATIO...PICNIC 
SHELTERS...BEACH SHACKS...GOLF SHELTERS...CAMPING TENTS...LARGE 
OUTDOOR TENTS...BASEBALL DUGOUTS AND OTHER SMALL BUILDINGS SUCH 
AS SHEDS AND GREENHOUSES THAT DO NOT HAVE ELECTRICITY OR 
PLUMBING. 

A SAFE VEHICLE IS A HARD TOPPED CAR...SUV...MINIVAN...BUS...OR 
TRACTOR. MOTORCYCLES ARE NOT SAFE. IF YOU SEEK SHELTER IN YOUR 
VEHICLE...MAKE SURE ALL DOORS ARE CLOSED AND WINDOWS ROLLED UP. 
DO NOT TOUCH ANY METAL SURFACES. IF YOU ARE DRIVING WHEN A 
THUNDERSTORM STARTS...PULL OFF THE ROADWAY. A LIGHTNING FLASH 
HITTING THE VEHICLE COULD STARTLE YOU AND CAUSE TEMPORARY 
BLINDNESS...ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT.
 
DO NOT USE ELECTRONIC DEVICES SUCH AS HAM RADIOS OR CELL PHONES 
DURING A THUNDERSTORM. LIGHTNING STRIKING THE VEHICLE... 
ESPECIALLY THE ANTENNAS...COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY IF YOU ARE 
TALKING ON THE RADIO OR HOLDING THE MICROPHONE AT THE TIME OF 
THE FLASH. EMERGENCY OFFICIALS SUCH SHOULD USE EXTREME CAUTION 
USING RADIO EQUIPMENT WHEN LIGHTNING IS IN THE AREA.

YOUR VEHICLE AND ITS ELECTRONICS MAY BE DAMAGED IF HIT BY 
LIGHTNING. VEHICLES STRUCK BY LIGHTNING ARE KNOWN TO HAVE FLAT 
TIRES THE NEXT DAY. THIS OCCURS BECAUSE THE LIGHTNING PUNCTURES 
TINY HOLES IN THE TIRES. VEHICLES HAVE CAUGHT FIRE AFTER BEING 
STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. HOWEVER...THERE IS NO MODERN DAY DOCUMENTED 
CASES OF VEHICLES EXPLODING DUE TO A LIGHTNING FLASH. REMEMBER 
IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE DURING A THUNDERSTORM...AT THE BEACH...ON THE 
BALLFIELD...OR CAMPING...YOUR VEHICLE MAY OFFER THE SAFEST 
PROTECTION FROM LIGHTNING.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU CANNOT REACH A SAFE LOCATION. THE 
LIGHTNING SAFETY COMMUNITY REMINDS YOU THAT THERE IS NO SAFE 
PLACE TO BE OUTSIDE IN A THUNDERSTORM. IF YOU ABSOLUTELY CAN 
NOT GET TO SAFETY...THIS SECTION IS DESIGNED TO HELP YOU LESSEN 
THE THREAT OF BEING STRUCK BY LIGHTNING WHILE OUTSIDE. DO NOT 
KID YOURSELF...YOU ARE NOT SAFE OUTSIDE. BEING STRANDED OUTDOORS 
WHEN LIGHTNING IS STRIKING NEARBY IS A HARROWING EXPERIENCE. 
THESE WILL NOT PREVENT YOU FROM BEING HIT...JUST SLIGHTLY LESSEN 
THE ODDS. 

DO NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER TALL ISOLATED TREES. THE TREE MAY HELP 
YOU STAY DRY BUT WILL SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE YOUR RISK OF BEING 
STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. RAIN WILL NOT KILL YOU...BUT THE LIGHTNING 
CAN.

DO NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER PARTIALLY ENCLOSED BUILDINGS. 

STAY AWAY FROM TALL...ISOLATED OBJECTS. LIGHTNING TYPICALLY 
STRIKES THE TALLEST OBJECT. THAT MAY BE YOU IN AN OPEN FIELD OR 
CLEARING. 

IF GOLFING...HEED THE ADVICE OF THE 2008 UNITED STATES GOLF 
ASSOCIATION OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP RUNNER UP ROCCO MEDIATE...WHEN YOU 
HEAR THUNDER...HEAD FOR THE CLUBHOUSE...LET THE STORM PLAY 
THROUGH.  

KNOW THE WEATHER FORECAST. IF THERE IS A HIGH CHANCE OF 
THUNDERSTORMS...CURTAIL YOUR OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. 

DO NOT PLACE YOUR CAMPSITE IN AN OPEN FIELD ON THE TOP OF A 
HILL OR ON A RIDGE TOP. 

THE VAST MAJORITY OF LIGHTNING INJURIES AND DEATHS ON BOATS 
OCCUR ON SMALL BOATS WITH NO CABIN. IF THUNDERSTORMS ARE 
FORECAST...DO NOT GO OUT. IF YOU ARE OUT ON THE WATER AND SKIES 
ARE THREATENING...GET BACK TO LAND AND FIND A SAFE BUILDING OR 
VEHICLE. 

TOMMORROW WE TURN OUR ATTENTION TO INDOOR LIGHTNING SAFETY.  

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