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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:

Category
Firefighter Health First Aid

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NWCG Latest Announcements

NWCG Training Catalog now on Wildland Fire Learning Portal

Date: April 25, 2023
Contact: NWCG Training  

The National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) has migrated the training catalog from the NWCG website to the Wildland Fire Learning Portal (WFLP) as part of our ongoing efforts to streamline processes and improve efficiency. To facilitate this transition, the training catalog remains available on www.nwcg.gov through April 2024.

Starting May 2024, the training catalog will no longer be accessible on www.nwcg.gov. However, you can still access the complete training catalog by logging in as a guest to the WFLP.

References:

Wildland Fire Learning Portal

 

NWCG Website Migration

Date: April 01, 2024
Contact: NWCG Webmaster

The National Wildfire Coordinating Group is thrilled to announce a significant upgrade to https://www.nwcg.gov, involving a comprehensive redesign of over 7,000 web pages. This enhancement is focused on improving user experience. The migration to the new NWCG website will commence on April 2, 2024, starting at noon EST and is expected to take a few hours. 

During the migration period, as the www.nwcg.gov domain-name-location updates across the Internet, you might encounter either the current or the new site depending on your location. We request your patience during this transition. If you are not redirected to the new site by April 3, 2024, we recommend clearing your browser’s cache and refreshing the page.

Please note that while navigating the revamped website, there may be instances of broken links or errors. Our dedicated web migration team has made significant efforts to minimize such issues prior to launch and will promptly address any that arise via use of analytic reports. We value your patience and understanding as we work towards enhancing your overall website experience.

WFSTAR 2023 Year in Review and 2024 Core Component Module Packages Available

Date: March 6, 2024
Contact: Joe Schindel 

The 2023 Fire Year in Review module and 2024 Core Component Module Packages for RT-130, Wildland Fire Safety Training Annual Refresher (WFSTAR) are now available on the NWCG website. The 2024 Core Component Module Package provides all content needed to deliver RT-130.

 

References:

WFSTAR 2023 Fire Year in Review module

WFSTAR 2024 Core Component Module Packages

2024 NWCG Executive Board Annual Letter

Date: March 6, 2024
Contact: NWCG

The NWCG Executive Board is privileged to share with you the 2024 NWCG Executive Board Annual Letter. As we look into the future and navigate an incredibly complex and dynamic environment, we must remain focused on our mission while actively engaging in national conversations regarding numerous wildland fire initiatives. In 2024, we prioritize building upon our successes and committing to continuous improvement. Key priorities and considerations for this year include: 

  • Determining Core Workload
  • Ensuring Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM) Success
  • Improving Efficiencies
  • Firefighter Health and Wellness
  • Engagement in National Conversations

Together we will continue to make significant strides in the challenging and vital work that lies ahead. 

 

References:

2024 NWCG Executive Board Annual Letter