As we endure another long weekend of sweltering heat and humidity, weather forecasts are calling for the most dangerous of weather patterns to pass through Long Island today and tomorrow. With the mid-week tornado touching down in Mattituck and severe lightning storms all across Suffolk County, the time to take precautionary measures is now. As lightning and thunderstorms can appear, even in blue skies, it is vital to know what not to do and how to stay safe. We’ve gathered the very best lightning safety tips and emergency first aid triage, to keep your family protected as we endure the final days of the first heat wave of Summer 2016.
Some outdoorsmen will tell you if you can’t count to 30 after you see a bolt of lightning, you need to seek shelter. However, the official experts at NOAA advise to find shelter the moment you see the sky light up from a distance. If you can not get to a low building, a car or similar vehicle and static energy is making your hair stand up on your neck or arms, be sure you are not the tallest object around. If you can not find immediate shelter and you have no alternative, stand on the balls of your feet, crouch down and wrap your arms around your legs and keep your head in between your legs. Never lay down on the ground. You want to keep as little as possible of your body touching the ground, to minimize your chances of getting struck.
Lightning Safety – Myths debunked
- Did you know that a lightning bolt can travel 10 to 12 miles from the storm’s body?
- Lightning can in fact strike twice
The best way to avoid the dangers of lightning all together is to stay Indoors when lightening is eminiment. When you are Indoors, stay away from plumbing like water pipes, the bath or shower and avoid electronic devices and appliances. Experts argue that a vehicle is the safest place to be in a lightning storm, as long as the cars electronics are off. The metal body of the car actually disperses the energy of a lightning bolt around the outside of the vehicle, keeping people inside safe from injury.
Avoid the use of a metal umbrella, or other objects you may carry over the head. Stay away from flat open surfaces like a golf course, field or shore line at the beach. If you are the only object in the middle of an open space or flat surface, you are at greater risk of being struck by lightning.
First Aid and Triage – Lightning Strike Emergency:
- If someone has been struck by lightning, the first safety measure you must take is for yourself. You can not help them if you are hurt too.
- Always call 911, no matter how serious the injury is. There may be secondary wounds that can be fatal if left untreated.
- If it’s possible, without causing bodily harm, move the victim to shelter.
- If the person is unresponsive,(apneic or in cardiac arrest) begin CPR. The number one cause of death in a lightning strike victim is Cardiac Arrest.
- Burns appear as punctures like bullet holes, a crawling floral pattern like a henna tattoo and can swell and blister the skin. If a Victim has suffered burns, remove necessary clothing and cover the burn loosely with clean, dry, blanket or cloth. Do not remove any clothing that is stuck to a burn. This will only make matters worse.
- Shock is another common injury after lightning. If a person seems out of it or confused, have them lie down, keep their feet elevated above their head. Keep them warm with using a blanket or jacket until EMS arrives.
Other important first aid reminders:
- Always keep the spine of a victim stable
- Keep the victim’s airway open
- Cool smoldering or hot jewelry or metal with water. Let the first responders remove any jewelry
- Immobilize any potential fractures