Lightning Injuries

Clinical Evaluation

Many different organ systems can be damaged by lightning strike:

Prevention of Injury

Preparation for avoidance of lightning injuries must be considered when outdoor activities are contemplated. The National Collegiate Athletic Association has recommended guidelines to prevent lightning hazards. These include the following:

• 1.
  Designate a person to monitor the weather and make decisions regarding interruption of sports activity. Make plans to shelter participants and spectators, as well as institute a lightning safety plan to announce warning signals.
• 2.
  Use http://www.weather.gov or the National Weather Service on a daily basis to monitor storm activity in the area.
• 3.
  Monitor thunderstorm “watches” (warning signs of severe weather) or “warnings” (reports of severe weather) and take the proper precautions.
• 4.
  Know where “safe” structures (buildings with electrically grounded facilities) are located.
• 5.
  In the absence of a “safe structure,” a vehicle with a hard metal roof with the windows rolled up may prevent injury.
• 6.
  Avoid being the “highest point” in the area. Lying down in a ditch, getting out of the water, avoiding touching metal objects, and avoiding open windows and doors are all methods to limit the possibility of lightning strike.
• 7.
  If thunder is heard, consider preparing for evacuation. If lightning is seen, consider suspending activities. The “flash-bang” method is used for measuring the lightning strike distance, which is defined as the time between seeing the lightning and hearing the thunder[Page 807]divided by 5. If

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