Firefighters called in after lightning strikes

One local family had a close encounter with a bolt of lightning early Monday morning.

According to Fort Scott Fire Department Chief Paul Ballou, shortly before 2 a.m., fire fighters were dispatched to 910 S. Crawford to answer a call involving a lightning strike. Although the fire was extinguished by the residents at the address before firefighters arrived, the firefighters inspected the situation to ensure the fire was completely out.

During their investigation, firefighters discovered the lightning had caught a mattress on fire. Their report noted that an electrical outlet near the mattress was melted and there was a burn pattern on a nearby wall.

Ballou said lightning is very dangerous and unpredictable when it strikes.

"Lightning is so strange," he said. "I have seen lightning strikes that have started structure fires and burned wall sockets out."

Ballou added there is a metal pole at a residence in town that has been hit by lightning about four different times and each time it gets hit, the lightning causes a different kind of damage. On one occasion, when the lightning hit the pole, it blew the freeze plates off of four water meters on that block he said.

"Lightning is dangerous," he said. "You never know what it's going to do. I take storms seriously, and I tell everyone I know to take them seriously."

According to the National Weather Service, www.nws.noaa.gov, so far in 2009, 23 people from across the United States have been killed by lightning. On average, 62 people in the U.S. are killed each year by lightning.

Hundreds of people were injured by lightning strikes in 2008, the Web site said. Being struck by lightning can have long-lasting effects on the victims.

"People struck by lightning suffer from a variety of long-term, debilitating symptoms, including memory loss, attention deficits, sleep disorders, numbness, dizziness, stiffness in joints, irritability, fatigue, weakness, muscle spasms, depression, and an inability to sit for long," the Web site said.

During the past 30 years, lightning has been responsible for killing more people than tornadoes or hurricanes. However, since lightning only kills one or two people at a time, it is often underestimated, the Web site said.

The Web site encourages residents to watch for developing thunderstorms and seek a safe indoor shelter when lightning is present.

"If you can hear thunder, you are within striking distance. Seek safe shelter immediately," the Web site said.

While inside a safe shelter, the NWS Web site recommends residents stay away from windows and doors, washers, dryers and avoid talking on corded telephones.

"Phone use is the leading cause of indoor lightning injuries in the United States," the Web site said. "Lightning can travel long distances in both phone and electrical wires, particularly in rural areas. Stay away from windows and doors as these can provide the path for a direct strike to enter a home. Do not lie on the concrete floor of a garage as it likely contains a wire mesh. In general, basements are a safe place to go during thunderstorms ... Avoid washers and dryers since they not only have contacts with the plumbing and electrical systems, but also contain an electrical path to the outside through the dryer vent."

The Web site added, when in a basement, individuals should avoid contact with concrete walls which may contain metal reinforcing bars.

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LIGHTNING MYTHS

The National Weather Service, www.nws.noaa.gov, addresses the top ten myths in regards to lightning safety.

Myth No.1: Lightning never strikes the same place twice.

Truth: Lightning often strikes the same place repeatedly, especially if it's a tall pointy isolated object. The Empire State Building used to be used as a lightning laboratory, since it is hit nearly 25 times a year. Places prone to lightning are places to avoid when thunderstorms are nearby.

Myth No. 2: If it's not raining, or if clouds aren't overhead, I'm safe from lightning.

Truth: Lightning often strikes more than three miles from the thunderstorm, far outside the rain or even thunderstorm cloud. 'Bolts From The Blue', though infrequent, can strike 10-15 Miles from the thunderstorm. Anvil lightning can strike the ground over 50 miles from the thunderstorm, under extreme conditions. Lightning in clouds has traveled over 100 miles from the thunderstorm.

Myth No. 3: Rubber tires protect you from lightning in a car by insulating you from the ground.

Truth: Lightning laughs at two inches of rubber. Most cars are reasonably safe from lightning. But it's the metal roof and metal sides that protect you, not the rubber tires. Thus convertibles, motorcycles, bicycles, open shelled outdoor recreational vehicles, and cars with plastic or fiberglass shells offer no lightning protection. Likewise, farm and construction vehicles with open cockpits offer no lightning protection. But closed cockpits with metal roof and sides are safer than going outside.

Myth No. 4: A lightning victim is electrified. If you touch them, you'll be electrocuted.

Truth: The human body doesn't store electricity. It is perfectly safe to touch a lightning victim to give them first aid. This is the most chilling of lightning myths. Imagine someone dying needlessly, for want of simple CPR or mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, when their chances of survival was about 90%!

Myth No. 5: If outside in a thunderstorm, go under a tree to stay dry.

Truth: Being underneath trees is the second-leading cause of lightning casualties.

Myth No. 6: I'm in a house, I'm safe from lightning.

Truth: While a house is a good place for lightning safety, just going inside isn't enough. You must avoid any conducting path leading outside, such as corded telephones, electrical appliances, wires, TV cables, plumbing (including plastic pipes with water in them), metal doors or window frames, etc. Don't stand near a window to watch the lightning. An inside room is generally best.

Myth No. 7: When playing sports and thunderstorms threaten, it's okay to finish the game before seeking shelter.

Truth: Sports is the activity with the fastest-rising rate of lightning casualties. No game is worth death or life-long severe injury. All people associated with sports should have a lightning safety plan and stick to it strictly. Seek proper shelter immediately when lightning threatens. Adults are responsible for the safety of children!

Myth No. 8: Structures with metal, or metal on the body (jewelry, watches, glasses, backpacks, Etc.), attract lightning.

Truth: Height, pointy shape, and isolation are the dominant factors controlling where a lightning bolt will strike. The presence of metal makes virtually no difference on where lightning strikes. Mountains are made of stone, but receive many strikes each year. When lightning threatens, take proper protective action immediately. Don't waste time shedding metal off your body, or seeking shelter under inadequate structures. But while metal doesn't attract lightning, touching or being near long metal objects (fences, railings, bleachers, vehicles, etc.) is still unsafe when thunderstorms are nearby. If lightning does happen to hit it, the metal can conduct the electricity a long distance (even over 100 yards) and still electrocute you.

Myth No. 9: If trapped outside and lightning is about to strike, lie flat on the ground.

Truth: This advice is decades out of date. Better advice is to use the 'Lightning Crouch': put your feet together, squat low, tuck your head, and cover your ears. Lightning induces electric currents along the top of the ground that can be deadly over 100 feet away. While lying flat on the ground gets you as low as possible, which is good, it increases your chance of being hit by a ground current, which is bad. The best combination of being low and touching the ground as little as possible is the 'Lightning Crouch'. But the 'Lightning Crouch' should be used only as a last resort. Much better would be to plan outdoor activities around the weather to avoid thunderstorm exposure and to have proper shelter available.

Myth No. 10: Go near a tall pointy isolated object when thunderstorms threaten, to be within the 45-degree "cone of protection."

Truth: The "cone of protection" is a myth. While tall pointy isolated objects are statistically more likely to be struck by lightning, it's not nearly reliable enough to rely on for safety. Lightning can still strike you near the tall object. Besides, the lightning electricity will likely spread out along the surface of the ground and can still kill you over 100 Ft from the "protecting" object. Also, if you are close to or touching the tall object, you can be electrocuted via side flash or contact voltage. No place outside is safe near a thunderstorm.

In lightning safety, a "myth" is not as good as a mile. Distance and proper shelter is your best protection from lightning.