Lighting Safety Tips

3/4/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO® of Citrus County restores storm damage every year in South Beach. Here are helpful information to keep people safe from lightning strikes:

• The safest location during lightning activity is a fully enclosed building with a roof, walls, and floor. Picnic shelters, covered patios, and other partially enclosed structures are NOT safe.
• If you don’t have access to a safe building, your next choice should be a completely enclosed vehicle, such as a car, truck, van, or bus. Convertibles or other soft-top cars are NOT safe.
• There is NO safe place to be outdoors during a thunderstorm with lightning, but if you absolutely can’t get to a safe building or vehicle, here are some last resort tips:

• Do not seek shelter under trees. They might help you stay dry, but they will significantly increase your chances of being struck by lightning.
• Do not seek shelter under partially enclosed buildings
• Stay away from metal objects such as fences and tall, isolated objects like poles since lightning typically strikes the tallest object
• If you are in an open field or clearing, the tallest object might be you! In that case, do not lie down, but crouch down with knees bent and feet together.