The Importance of Lightning Protection
Lightning strikes approximately 2100 people a year worldwide and one third of those strikes, called strokes, result in death. The people that live are never quite the same. Physical and emotional difficulties tend to plague them the rest of their lives. Heart attacks, burst eardrums, optical impairment, damage to the lungs and other organs, as well as the nervous system are quite common.
Golfing, boating, swimming, standing under a tree, talking on the phone, using water and operating electrical appliances seem to be the activities which draw the greatest number of strikes. Air travel is relatively safe; planes usually have an aluminum outer shell, which is a good conductor of electricity. Lightning is potentially hazardous to all electrical devises. There is a variety of lightning and sudden surge protectors on the market today. Grounding any structure is important. Grounding permits dispersion of electricity and conduction into the ground, where it is less harzardous.
The importance of lightning protection cannot be stressed enough. It is difficult to make lightning protectors for individuals, because people represent constantly moving objects. The greatest available protection for human life is to remain indoors. If a person is out of doors, then it is vital either to be in a car touching no metal, or to be at the lowest elevation possible, such as a valley. Be aware. Listen for the timing between lightning and its resultant thunder. Fifteen to thirty seconds between the two offers a warning that the strike is extremely close. Therefore, finding appropriate shelter as quickly as possible is necessary. Water is a good conductor of electricity due to its positive molecular charge. If there is a “downed” power line lying in water, it can be fatal to walk through that water.
Can a fraction of one second change a person’s whole life? We all know the answer to that question is “yes!” It is a good idea to become learned on the subject of lightning. It is a great idea to do the research and understand the importance of lightning protection “before it strikes!”
