Watch Out! This Is Lightning Safety Awareness Week

With the number of strong thunderstorms moving through our area in the past week it seems like a wholly appropriate time for Lightning Safety Awareness Week. And would you look at that -- here it is!

The Illinois Emergency Management Agency, the National Weather Service and local emergency management agencies are joining forces to promote lightning safety during Lightning Safety Awareness Week, taking place June 22-28.

“When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors” is more than just a catchy slogan. It's also good advice. Officials say if you can hear thunder, you’re also close enough to the storm to be struck by lightning.

According to the National Weather Service, on average around 50 people are killed and 1,000 people are injured by lightning in the U.S. each year. To date in 2014, there have been seven reports of lightning-related deaths nationwide, none of those in Illinois.

IEMA and the NWS offer the following tips for staying safe when thunderstorms approach:

Outdoor lightning safety tips:

• No place outside is safe when thunderstorms are in the area.
• If you hear thunder, lightning is close enough to strike you.
• When you hear thunder, immediately move to a safe shelter.
• Safe shelter is a substantial building or inside an enclosed, hard-topped vehicle.
• Stay in the safe shelter at least 30 minutes after you hear the last clap of thunder.

If there is no safe shelter anywhere nearby:

• Seek lower elevation areas.
• Never use a tree for shelter.
• Immediately get out and away from pools, lakes and
• other bodies of water.
• Stay away from all metallic objects (fences, power
• lines, poles, etc.).
• Do not raise umbrellas or golf clubs above you.

Regarding the last tip above, let's not forget the important lightning-safety lesson we all learned from "Caddyshack":