Lightning safety may seem like one of those kooky, half-baked ideas, but according to the National Weather Service (NWS), lightning is actually a major cause of storm related deaths in the U.S.. In fact lightning is a bigger danger to people (on average) than hurricane or tornado. The NWS notes that, “A lightning strike can result in a cardiac arrest (heart stopping) at the time of the injury, although some victims may appear to have a delayed death a few days later if they are resuscitated but have suffered irreversible brain damage.”

Storm Data, a National Weather Service publication, reports that …read more

A friend mentioned the thunderstorms in her area this summer and then reminisced about overcoming her fear when she was a child.  She learned to have a healthy respect for lightning, from a safety viewpoint, but she didn’t panic every time a storm was predicted.
This brought back memories of my early fear of this natural phenomenon. (Remember this is Nature Theme Week in my Parenting posts, so lightning ties in!)  However, Mother’s calmness and prayers, her explanation of how and why lightning occurs, gave me a sense of peace.
I tried to impart this to my daughter and grandchildren, so they …read more

As the weather along the Northeast of the United States and Eastern Canada continues its odd patterns, we’re hearing more often of lightning strikes and people being hit by lightning. It’s truly a frightening and serious issue, as two families in Ontario, Canada, learned last week.
Two boys, aged 5 and 3 years old, and a 26-year woman (mom to the 5-year-old) were struck by lightning from a sudden storm that overtook the park where the children were playing. According to news reports, the older boy was struck by a first bolt and his mother and the other boy were hit …read more

Lightning is a serious and dangerous weather event. On average, it kills more people each year than tornadoes and hurricanes. According to the National Weather Service, the odds you’ll be struck by lightning during your lifetime are 1 in 5,000. Most often, thunderstorms occur in spring or summer, but they can strike anytime.

In 2009, 15 people have been killed by lightning so far. While hundreds of people are permanently injured by lightning each year, an average of 62 people in the US are killed by it. But there are practical steps you can take to avoid being a statistic.
Lightning Safety …read more