Latest news with #LightningSafetyAwarenessWeek
4 days ago
- Climate
20 people injured in lightning strike while swimming at South Carolina beach
Twenty people were injured by a reported lightning strike while swimming at a beach in South Carolina, officials said. The incident occurred at approximately 5 p.m. on Tuesday, when multiple agencies responded to a "reported electrocution" due to lightning at Dominion Beach Park near the Lake Murray Dam in Lexington County, South Carolina, officials said in a press release. When first responders arrived on the scene, 20 patients -- eight adults and 12 juveniles -- had been injured by the strike, officials said. Eighteen of those individuals were treated at the scene, while 12 were sent to three local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, Vanessa Diaz, the public information officer for Lexington County, told ABC News in a statement. All of the patients are expected to recover, officials said. When the strike occurred, it was a "bright and sunny day" at the lake, but then a bolt of lightning hit the water and "energized a metal cable with buoys on it that surrounds the swimming area," the Irmo Fire District said in a statement. "Lightning can strike far away from a cloud. It doesn't seem logical but a few hundred of us are believers today," the fire district said. Several people had swam out to the buoys and were holding the cable when the lightning hit, with others nearby in the water, the fire district said. "Everybody got quite a jolt, we're so fortunate that injuries were not worse than they were," the fire district said. Dominion Beach Park is expected to reopen on Wednesday "following safety assessments and clearance from authorities," Lexington County officials said. This week is Lightning Safety Awareness Week, which began in 2001 "in order to call attention to lightning being an underrated killer," according to the National Weather Service. So far this year, there have been four reported deaths from lightning strikes in the U.S., according to the National Lightning Safety Council.
USA Today
4 days ago
- Climate
- USA Today
Golf courses are one of the top spots for lightning fatalities; how can you stay safe?
Lightning kills about 20 people in the United States each year, and hundreds more are severely injured, according to the National Weather Service. The numbers became real when a Colorado man was hit by lightning in New Smyrna Beach on June 20 as he stood in ankle-deep water. Initially in critical condition after being hospitalized, the 29-year-old man − in Florida for his honeymoon − died from the lightning strike the next day. On June 8, Spencer Loalbo, a 41-year-old father of three and his father were golfing in Gunter, Texas, when they were hit by a single bolt from a single storm cloud, authorities said, according to NBC 5 in Dallas. Loalbo was killed in the "blink of an eye," stated a GoFundMe fundraiser set up for his wife and daughters. His father was critically injured and taken to a hospital. Spencer Loalbo's death was the third lightning fatality in the United States this year. Golf has contributed to about 3% of lightning death since 2006, according to data compiled by Jensenius. ➤ Weather alerts via text: Sign up to get updates about current storms and weather events by location Lightning is nothing new to Florida, which kept its title in 2024 as the state with the most lightning, according to AEM, which describes itself as essential source for environmental insights. "While lightning fatalities have decreased over the past 30 years, lightning continues to be one of the top storm-related killers in the United States," the National Lightning Safety Council said. "In addition, lightning injures many more people than it kills and leaves some survivors with life-long health problems." 'Underrated killer': Lightning Safety Awareness Week held June 22-28, 2025 National Lightning Safety Awareness Week started in 2001 in order "to call attention to lightning being an underrated killer," the National Weather Service said. This year, the week started Sunday, June 22, and continues until Saturday, June 28. Daily graphics help explain the dangers and how to stay informed. Florida leads US with number of lightning strikes per square mile In AEM's report, Florida retained its rank as the top state for the number of lightning strikes per square mile: 76. Top 10 states for lightning strikes in 2024 The 'deadly dozen': What were people doing when killed by lightning? According to the National Weather Service and Lightning Safety Council, the 12 activities that contributed to the most lightning fatalities in the U.S. between 2006 and 2024 were: Hear thunder? Lightning is within striking distance. Here's how to stay safe "It is important to understand that there is no safe place outside when thunderstorms are in the area," the Lightning Safety Council warned. "If you hear thunder, you are likely within striking distance of the storm." Lightning can strike more than 10 miles from a thunderstorm. "While lightning fatalities have decreased over the past 30 years, lightning continues to be one of the top storm-related killers in the United States. In addition, lightning injures many more people than it kills and leaves some survivors with life-long health problems." Many people wait too long to get to a safe place and then go back outside too soon, before the threat is over, the National Weather Service said. "When thunder roars, go indoors." "If you can hear thunder, you are in danger; don't be fooled by blue skies. Lightning can strike more than 10 miles from a thunderstorm, well ahead of any rain, or well after the rain has ended," the National Lightning Safety Council said. Lightning safety tips if you're outside The National Lightning Safety Council offered this advice to stay safe if you're outside: Lightning safety tips if you're inside When lightning hits a building, it often follows wiring or plumbing to ground. To be safe, you don't want to be connected to either. You also want to avoid any metal that could provide lightning with a path from outside your home to inside, such as a doorknob, according to the the National Lightning Safety Council, which offered this advice to stay safe if you're inside: What do you do if someone is struck by lightning? Cardiac arrest is the immediate cause of death for those who die after being hit by lightning. Lightning victims do not carry an electrical charge and are safe to touch, the Lightning Safety Council said. If possible, move the victim to a safer place. Lightning can strike twice. If someone is struck by lightning, they may need immediate medical attention. Call 911 and monitor the victim. Start CPR if you're trained or use an Automated External Defibrillator, if needed. Florida leads US in number of lightning fatalities in 2024 There were 12 lightning fatalities in 2024, according to the latest numbers released Dec. 17 by the National Weather Service and the Lightning Safety Council. Five lightning-strike deaths were in Florida: Top Florida counties by number of lightning strikes per square mile The top county in the U.S. when it came to flash density, or the number of lightning strikes per square mile, in 2024 was Limestone County in Texas, which had had average of 125 flashes per square mile. That number was significantly higher than any other county in the U.S., including Florida. Top 10 Florida counties by flash density in 2024: Bottom 10 Florida counties when it comes to lightning strikes per square mile This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
4 women knocked unconscious after lightning strike on Florida beach
A vacation in Florida almost turned deadly after a lightning strike at a beach knocked four women unconscious. The four women, who are all friends visiting from Kentucky, were spending some time along the Gulf coast in Marco Island, Florida, Saturday when a thunderstorm quickly approached. "The siren went off, and we knew there was a storm coming," said Danielle Sturgill, who was one of the women who was struck, according to ABC News. "The nearest thing to us was a little tiki hut and that's where we decided to take shelter." All four were unconscious for a time and were later transported to a local hospital where they were treated with minor injures. "When I first woke up, I couldn't feel my legs at all. They were completely numb," said Kelli Bryant, another one of the women who was under the hut at the time of the strike. One day earlier, a 29-year-old Colorado man on his honeymoon died after being hit by lightning at New Smyrna Beach, Florida, located about 45 miles northeast of Orlando. "So sorry for the tragic loss of a young man here on a delayed honeymoon with his wife," Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said. "At 29 years old, he should have had many more anniversaries with her for years to come. Sending sincere condolences to this young woman on behalf of all of us in Volusia County who were hoping against hope that the diligent efforts of our lifeguards, EMS team and ER staff would bring him back to her." There have been four lightning-related fatalities across the United States so far in 2025, according to the National Lightning Safety Council (NLSC). Being at the beach is one of the "deadly dozen" activities for lightning-related deaths and ranks as the second-deadliest, only after fishing. Since 2006, lightning has killed 32 people at beaches across the country. This week is Lightning Safety Awareness Week, when officials highlight the danger of lightning as people spend more time outdoors during the summer months. Most of lightning injuries and deaths occur in June, July and August. "National Lightning Safety Awareness week was started in 2001 to call attention to this underrated killer. Since then, U.S. lightning fatalities have dropped from about 55 per year to about 20," the NLSC explained. "This reduction in fatalities is believed to be largely due to greater awareness of the lightning danger, and people seeking safety when thunderstorms threaten." You can receive alerts on your phone when lightning is detected in your area by downloading the free AccuWeather app and enabling lightning alerts for your location.
Time of India
09-05-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
Evacuation drills conducted for awareness on lightning cases
Prayagraj: Officials of the district fire department on Friday claimed to have carried out a series of mock and evacuation drills to create awareness in case of lightning incidents in the district. The awareness campaign was launched under Lightning Safety Awareness Week to focus on education, risk assessment, and mitigation strategies to reduce lightning-related mishaps in high-rise buildings and hospitals in city, and fields in rural areas. The weeklong campaign will end on Fire Officer (Prayagraj) RK Pandey told TOI, "Under the lightning safety awareness campaign, teams of the fire department interacted with citizens in the city as well as farmers in rural pockets, and apprised them of the measures to be taken during lightning cases. " He added, "The awareness campaign was organised at all fire stations of the district, including Civil Line, Naini, High Court, Meja, Bara, Koraon, Handia, Phulpur, Soraon, as well as Fire Units Police Station Jhunsi, Karchana, and Dhoomanganj."The CFO, meanwhile, said fire station officers held a series of chaupals among villagers, interacted with them, and apprised them of the preventive measures in case of lightning. Teams also interacted with farmers in Meja, Bara, Koraon, Handia, Phulpur, Soraon, and Karchana tehsils. In city areas, the residents of high-rise buildings were advised to install lightning conductors in the buildings, along with proper earthing for protection.
Time of India
04-05-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
Awareness campaign to reduce lightning-related mishaps
Prayagraj: Authorities of the UP Fire and Emergency Services are all set to launch a comprehensive lightning awareness campaign, known as Lightning Safety Awareness Week to focus on education, risk assessment, and mitigation strategies to reduce lightning-related mishaps in the city, trans-Ganga, and trans-Yamuna areas of the Prayagraj district. The weeklong campaign will start on Monday and end on May 11. Chief Fire Officer (Prayagraj) RK Pandey told TOI, "On the directives of Commissioner of Police (Prayagraj) Tarun Gauba, officials of the fire department have drafted a weeklong awareness drive in the trans-Ganga and trans-Yamuna areas of the district." He added, "The lightning safety awareness campaign will be taken up in all fire stations of the district, including Civil Line, Naini, High Court, Meja, Bara, Koraon, Handia, Phulpur, Soraon, as well as Fire Units Police Station Jhunsi, Karchana, and Dhoomanganj." The CFO mentioned that fire station officers (FSO) will hold chaupals among villagers and inform them about preventive measures in case of lightning. As rural areas are mostly affected by lightning, officials have planned a series of campaigns in tehsils, including Meja, Bara, Koraon, Handia, Phulpur, Soraon and Karchana. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 3 Reasons to Plug This Into Your Home Today elecTrick - Save upto 80% on Power Bill Learn More Undo In city areas, building owners will be advised to install lightning conductors in buildings, ensure proper earthing, and take protective measures. The CFO also stated that risk assessment and mitigation are the most important lessons, wherein people will be advised to adhere to weather forecast and early warning systems. Firemen will inform villagers about safe shelter points during thunderstorms. Under the specific safety guidelines, those working outdoors must avoid open fields, tall trees, and bodies of water. Indoors, people should avoid contact with electrical equipment, plumbing, and windows.
