Lightning Awareness

The power of lightning is immense. For every ten feet of ascent through the air, there is a 300-volt potential difference in electricity. This amounts to approximately 380,000 volts at the top of the atmosphere. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the United States averages 51 lightning strike fatalities annually. About 90 percent of people struck by lightning are estimated to survive, but often suffer long-lasting neurological damage.

When lightning is near, operations should cease if possible and individuals should make every effort to seek shelter indoors or in vehicles. If you cannot get to safety, you can lessen the risk of being struck with the following tips:

• Find a low spot that is not subject to flooding

• Avoid tall trees, wires, utility lines, and other tall objects

• If in an area of thick trees, move to an area with shorter trees

• If only isolated trees are nearby, keep your distance twice the tree height

• If in open country, crouch low with feet together and minimize contact with the ground

• Do not group together

• Do not handle metal hand tools or flammable materials

• Do not stay on ridge tops or wide-open areas or near ledges

• Get away from radios, tools, and electric motors

Operations should not resume for at least 30 minutes after the storm activity has passed.

If a person is struck by lightning:

• Know that lightning strike victims do not retain the charge and are not "electrified." It is safe to help them.

• Immediately initiate resuscitation (CPR/rescue breathing).

• Cardiopulmonary arrest occurs from both the direct current to the heart and paralysis of the respiratory center in the brain.

• Although heart rhythm may spontaneously return, respiratory muscle paralysis may persist, and rescue breaths may be necessary for several minutes even after the pulse returns.

• If multiple people are struck, attend to those who do not have a pulse and are not breathing first.

• Almost everyone struck by lightning who does not have cardiac and/or respiratory arrest at the scene survives, even though they may be seriously injured or burned.

Questions for discussion:

• Look around at your current setting: where would you take cover in a lightning storm?

• If someone were struck by lightning, where is the rescue breathing equipment? Do you know how to use it?

• What is your crew’s policy for mitigating exposure during electrical storms?

Resources:

• NWCG Incident Response Pocket Guide (IRPG – Specific Hazards (gray pages)), PMS 461

• Lightning Strike Hits 10-20 Feet Away from Two Helitack Members