Lightning Safety: 30 Second / 30 Minute Rule

by John M. Sadler, JD, CIC Lightning Facts Approximately 70 people are killed by lightning and 400 are injured in any given year in the U.S. (NOAA On average! "0# o$ %trike vi&tim% die and 70# %u$$er %eriou% long term e$$e&t%. (NOAA 'he %e&ond mo%t likely pla&e o$ o&&urren&e $or a per%on to be %tru&k i% at a ball $ield or open $ield. ((ol$ &our%e% are the mo%t likely lo&ation . (Angel and )i%on "**+ ,olt% o$ lightning rea&h temperature% a% high a% +0!000 degree%. 'he average thunder%torm i% %ix to ten mile% -ide. 'he average rate o$ travel o$ a thunder%torm i% .+ mph. /ightning &an %trike $rom a% $ar a-ay a% "0 mile%. Lightning Myths Exposed )eat lightning i% not harmle%%. )eat lightning i% regular lightning that i% too $ar a-ay to be heard. 0t &an po%e a threat i$ it move% into your area. 'enni% %hoe% -ith rubber %ole% o$$er little prote&tion again%t a lightning bolt. 0$ lightning %trike% a vehi&le! the o&&upant% &an %till be injured (even though the &ar ha% rubber tire% and the -indo-% are up i$ the o&&upant% are tou&hing metal or any &ondu&ting path going to the out%ide o$ the vehi&le. )o-ever! the ri%k o$ injury or death -hile in%ide a vehi&le i% mu&h le%% than %taying out%ide a vehi&le but greater than taking %helter -ithin a %turdy building. 'he metal %hell o$ the vehi&le provide% the prote&tion1 not the rubber tire%. A per%on -ho ha% been %tru&k by lightning doe% not &arry an ele&tri&al &harge and mu%t re&eive immediate $ir%t aid2345.

30 30 Lightning !"le For #ostponing $cti%ity $nd !et"rning &o $cti%ity 6o%t expert% re&ommend that outdoor athleti& event% %hould be po%tponed -hen the thunder%torm approa&he% $rom a di%tan&e o$ %ix mile%. 'he be%t -ay to gauge the di%tan&e o$ a thunder%torm i% to mea%ure the elap%ed time $rom the $la%h to bang. Sin&e a &ount o$ $ive %e&ond% e7ual% a di%tan&e o$ one mile! a &ount o$ thirty %e&ond% e7ual% a di%tan&e o$ %ix mile%. 0n mo%t &a%e%! -hen you &an hear thunder! you are no longer %a$e.

$ll indi%id"als sho"ld ha%e le't the o"tdoor athletic site and reached a sa'e shelter or location by the ti(e the elapsed 'lash to bang reaches a co"nt o' 30 seconds. I' yo" can)t see lightning, *"st hearing the th"nder is a good bac+,"p r"le. Indi%id"als can ret"rn to the o"tdoor athletic site once thirty (in"tes has elapsed since the last 'lash or th"nder. -ne o' the (ost dangero"s 'or(s o' lightning is a .bolt 'ro( the bl"e/ 0hich typically originates o"t o' the bac+ side o' a th"nderstor( and has been +no0n to stri+e as 'ar as ten (iles a0ay. All de&i%ion% about po%tponing an a&tivity or returning to an a&tivity %hould be made by the athleti& dire&tor! athleti&% %upervi%or! trainer! &oa&h! and2or game o$$i&ial% -ho are re%pon%ible $or removing team% and individual% $rom an outdoor athleti& %ite. 0t i% advi%able that a publi& addre%% announ&ement be read addre%%ing the $ollo-ing topi&%8 0n%tru&tion $or all %pe&tator%! player%! employee%! and volunteer% to move immediately to the neare%t %turdy building (make %ure the a&&e%% door i% open . 0n%tru&tion that a vehi&le i% the next be%t alternative. 9arning not to take re$uge under or near tree%! tall obje&t%! lone obje&t%! blea&her%! or $en&e%.

:a&ility o-ner% may al%o -ant to &on%ider %ignage %ummari;ing <02<0 /ightning 5ule a% -ell a% in%tru&tion% $or taking %helter. 1est #laces &o &a+e Co%er 2In -rder -' Most Sa'e &o Least Sa'e3 ". Sturdy ,uilding8 A %turdy building i% an en&lo%ed building -ith metal plumbing or -iring to ground the %tru&ture. ,uilding% or %hed% that are not en&lo%ed (ex8 ba%eball dugout%! tent%! open %ided rain %helter% %hould be avoided! a% they don=t &on%titute a %turdy building. 9hile in%ide a %turdy building! the $ollo-ing area% %hould be avoided8 open door% and -indo-%! &lo%e proximity to ele&tri&al applian&e%! &onta&t -ith plumbing $ixture%! and landline phone%. 0t i% %a$e to u%e a &ordle%% or &ell phone. >o not lie on &on&rete $loor% or lean again%t &on&rete -all%. .. ?ehi&le8 An en&lo%ed vehi&le %u&h a% a &ar! tru&k! van! or bu% -ith a metal roo$ (not a &onvertible and -indo-% &ompletely %hut. Avoid

tou&hing anything metal or any &ondu&ting path to the out%ide %u&h a% a %teering -heel! ignition! radio! gear %hi$ter! et&. -hile in%ide the &ar. <. 0n 'he Open8 0$ a %uitable %turdy building or vehi&le i% not available! you may have to %tay in the open. Avoid all -ater! metal obje&t% (%u&h a% ele&tri&al -ire%! ma&hinery! motor%! blea&her%! and $en&e% ! %mall boat%! high ground! i%olated tree%! and telephone pole%. 0$ lightning i% %triking nearby! avoid all dire&t &onta&t -ith other people! remove all metal obje&t% $rom your per%on! and &rou&h do-n -ith $eet together and hand% on knee% making %ure that only your $eet are tou&hing the ground. !eprinted Fro(4 http822---.%adler%port%.&om2ri%kmanagement2%port%1in%uran&e1 lightning.php So"rces4 National O&eani& @ Atmo%pheri& Admini%tration. .+ Apr. .00A. .. Sept. .00A National /ightning Sa$ety 0n%titute. "" Sept. .00A. .. Sept. .00A Spe&ial Bvent% 0n%uran&e. "+ Sept. .00A /ightning Sa$ety8 N3AA (uideline ">. Cune "**D. .. Sept. .00A Cournal o$ Athleti& 'raining .000E <+(4 847"1477. the National Athleti& 'rainer%= A%%o&iation! 0n&. ,la&kburn! 6ike. FAthleti& Admini%trator Need 4lan :or >ealing 9ith >anger% O$ /ightning.G 0nter%&hola%ti& Athleti& Admini%tration "***8 ..1.4 Appen;eller! )erb! >avid S&ott! 'odd Seidler. 5i%k 6anagement 0n Sport. >urham8 3arolina A&ademi& 4re%%! .00+. DISCL$IME!4 5- #L$CE -6&SIDE IS S$FE F!-M LI78&5I57 5E$! &865DE!S&-!MS. &8E 76IDELI5ES !EFE!E5CED I5 &8IS $!&ICLE $!E 5-& 900: S$FE D6E &- &8E !$5D-M $5D 65#!EDIC&$1LE 5$&6!E -F LI78&5I57.

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