Rules for safe human behavior during a thunderstorm.
Recipes - 07/01/2019
Statistics show that the risk of dying from lightning is a thousand times less than in a car accident. However, everyone should know about precautions during a thunderstorm.
1. How to protect yourself during a thunderstorm?
2. What increases the risk of being struck by lightning?
3. How to behave when encountering ball lightning?
4. What assistance should be provided to a lightning victim?
To reduce the risk of being struck by lightning during a thunderstorm, special measures must be taken.
Firstly, do not hide under tall trees (especially free-standing ones). Oak, poplar, spruce, and pine are more dangerous. Rarely does lightning strike a birch and maple tree.
When in an open space, it is better to sit down in a dry hole or trench.
You shouldn't run, and if you're driving in a car, you need to stop.
In the mountains, high points should be avoided.
You should not swim, it is better to be on a dry surface.
You should take shelter from lightning in places that have the lowest electrical conductivity (hill slopes or small depressions, if possible, with dry, rocky soil). In wooded areas, it is better to hide in dense bushes between two trees located at a distance of about 40 m from each other.
You should not stay near bodies of water or in open areas. During a thunderstorm, it is not recommended to light a stove or make a fire, since hot smoke is a good conductor of current.
To protect a house from lightning damage, the rules provide for the installation of a lightning rod. It is a metal rod, one end of which rises above the building, and the other is grounded. It is clear that during a thunderstorm you should stay away from the lightning rod, as a source of increased danger.
Turn off all electrical appliances, close windows and doors (air flow is a good conductor of electricity).
Stay away from electrical appliances and wiring, and do not touch metal objects. In no more than half a minute the lightning will disappear. It may leave behind a hole in the door, or perhaps only the smell of ozone. Please note that after such visits there were fires.
The approach of lightning is preceded by a metallic sound, a glow on sharp surfaces and objects with metal edges. In this case, you need to hide in a safe place and not touch anything until everything returns to normal.
Even if lightning strikes a person, this does not mean imminent death. There have been cases when, as a result of a lesion, a person’s breathing stopped, but after medical assistance the vital functions of the body were restored. It is said that most lightning victims die only because they are considered dead too early.
A person affected by atmospheric electricity must immediately perform artificial respiration. In case of cardiac arrest - indirect massage. The victim must be taken to the hospital; if this is not possible, he must be given hot tea and provided with peace. Among the typical misconceptions is a recipe for burying the victim in the ground. Do not do this under any circumstances.
1. Remember how people usually act during a thunderstorm. What safety rules are most often violated?
2. What safety rules are you used to following during a thunderstorm?
3. What safety rules should you follow during a thunderstorm?
4. Inspect your house (apartment) carefully. How prepared is he for a possible thunderstorm? Does it have a lightning rod? Talk to your parents about what to do to keep your home safe during a thunderstorm.
5. Remember where you usually relax, play sports in nature (by the lake, in the forest, etc.). Where is the best place to take shelter in these areas in case of a thunderstorm?
6. Draw a diagram of dangerous and safe places during a thunderstorm (in the forest, in open areas, etc.).
7. Fill out the table about human behavior during a thunderstorm. Approximate view of the table:
8. Ask a medical professional you know to show you how to perform artificial respiration and chest compressions. Read about this in the special section of the manual. Practice providing first aid to a lightning victim. The “victim” could be your friend.
Storm - this is an atmospheric phenomenon associated with the development of powerful cumulonimbus clouds, the occurrence of electrical discharges (lightning) between clouds, clouds and the surface of the earth, accompanied by a sound effect (thunder), squally increased wind, rain, hail, decreasing air temperature.
The main damaging factor of a thunderstorm islightning .
During one thunderstorm, several dozen lightning strikes can form.
Most often, lightning strikes:
tall free-standing tree;
a stack of hay;
chimney;
high-rise building;
top of the mountain.
Lightning strikes a person in the following situations:
as a result of a direct hit;
when an electric discharge passes in close proximity (about 1 meter) to a person;
when spreading electricity in damp earth or water.
A thunderstorm is a fast-moving, stormy and extremely dangerous atmospheric phenomenon of nature. It is impossible to prevent its development. To reduce the incidence of human injury from lightning, it is necessary to know and follow the basic rules and safety requirements depending on specific conditions.
In an apartment, house, building : eliminate drafts, tightly close windows and chimneys, disconnect electrical appliances from power sources, turn off the outdoor antenna, stop telephone conversations, do not sit near a window, stove, fireplace, massive metal objects, on the roof or in the attic.
In the forest : try to meet a thunderstorm in a clearing, do not seek protection under the crowns of tall or isolated trees, do not lean against their trunks, since a direct lightning strike on a tree can break it into splinters and injure people standing nearby. Do not sit near a fire: a column of hot air is a good conductor of electricity. Don't climb tall trees.
In the open : Make sure that you are not the highest point in the area, this is where lightning strikes most often. Do not sit on hills, near metal fences, power line supports or under wires, do not walk barefoot, do not hide in hay or straw stacks, in uninhabited single barracks or sheds, do not lift conductive objects above your head: shovels, hoes, scythes. Stop sports games and movement, go to cover, and do not sit in a dense group in a potentially dangerous place.
In the mountains : immediately leave the danger zone, stop moving, avoid body contact with wet rocks, tight crevices, awnings and grottoes, if possible, isolate yourself from wet ground and rocks, using rubber-soled shoes, a dry tent, a sleeping bag, a rope, a backpack, a stone . Try to keep clothes, shoes, equipment, food, and medicines dry. Lower metal objects on a rope or place them at a distance of 15-20 meters from the location of people.
In a tent : place the tent at a distance of at least 2 meters from the tree trunk and its branches, additionally secure the tent, cover it with waterproof film, place metal objects at a distance of at least 10-15 meters from the tent, tightly close all openings, including the entrance, put on dry clothes and lie down. In thunderstorm-prone areas, you can weave a copper strip into the end of the tent and ground it using a metal rod driven into the ground.
By the water : during a thunderstormdon't swim , do not stay in the immediate vicinity of a body of water, do not go boating, or fish.
In car : stop driving, do not stand in a high place or in an open field, wait out a thunderstorm inside a car, do not refuel your car during bad weather, do not sit between cars or in the back of a car, do not sit on metal objects, do not hide under a car, do not hold hands with metal objects.
Behavior rules:
To reduce the likelihood of being struck by lightning, the human body should have as little contact with the ground as possible. The safest position is considered to be the following: sit down, put your feet together, lower your head and chest onto your knees and forearms, clasp your knees with your hands;
you can sit or stand on insulating material: log, board, stone, tent, sleeping bag, rope, backpack;
During a thunderstorm, do not locate yourself near a railway track, near a body of water, or near a high-rise building without a lightning rod;
in a zone of relative safety, take a dry place at a distance of 1.5-2 meters from high objects: tree, rock, power line support;
do not be near switched-on electrical appliances, wiring, metal objects, do not touch them with your hands, do not be located near lightning protection grounding;
do not touch the surface of rocks, tree trunks, metal structures with your head, back or other parts of the body;
walk around the area of land where lightning struck, or wait a few minutes for the electricity to dissipate;
immediately call firefighters and rescuers in the event of a fire caused by a lightning strike, try to extinguish it on your own;
provide assistance to the victims.
Sh ar lightning.
One of the manifestations of a thunderstorm is ball lightning. There is no generally accepted scientific justification for the nature of ball lightning. Ball lightning can appear unexpectedly anywhere. Repeated observations have established a connection between ball lightning and linear lightning. Ball lightning can be spherical, egg-shaped or pear-shaped. Its dimensions often reach the size of a soccer ball. It moves in space slowly, with stops, sometimes explodes, calmly fades away, falls apart or disappears without a trace. Ball lightning “lives” for about one minute. During the movement of ball lightning, a slight whistle or hiss is heard, sometimes it moves silently. The color of ball lightning can be different: red, white, blue, black, pearlescent. Sometimes ball lightning rotates and sparks. Due to its plasticity, ball lightning can penetrate into a room, tent, cave, or car interior. The trajectory of its movement and behavior options are unpredictable.
When ball lightning appears : You cannot move suddenly, try to catch the fireball or push it out. Even when ball lightning comes into contact with a person’s body, you should remain calm and remember that it can disappear as unexpectedly as it appeared. Sometimes ball lightning explodes, which can cause injury. In this situation, the victim must be given the same assistance as in the case of linear lightning or electric shock.
First aid for lightning strikes:
quickly determine the condition of the victim;
immediately carry out resuscitation measures: artificial respiration, chest compressions.
warm the victim;
treat burns and associated wounds;
give analgin or solpadeine, administer antishock drugs;
urgently take the victim to a medical facility.
There is a misconception that a person struck by lightning must be buried in the ground for a while.Do not do this under any circumstances. Such actions worsen the victim’s condition and can hasten his death.
The most common meteorological hazard - a thunderstorm - is a complex atmospheric phenomenon, a necessary part of which is multiple electrical charges between clouds or between a cloud and the ground (lightning), accompanied by a sound phenomenon - thunder. As a rule, during a thunderstorm there is intense rainfall, often hail, and there is increased wind, often to the point of squalls and tornadoes. All this makes a thunderstorm a destructive natural phenomenon. Lightning strikes often cause fires, destruction of buildings, damage to power lines, and disruption of train traffic. Strong winds can rip roofs off houses and lift heavy objects into the air. Hail can lead to the death of people and livestock, damage to buildings and structures.
The wind does not give the correct idea of the direction of movement of a thunderstorm; thunderstorms often go against the wind. Approximately the distance to a thunderstorm can be determined by the time between a flash of lightning and a clap of thunder: one second is equal to a distance of 300-400 m, two seconds - 600-800 m, three seconds - about a kilometer.
There are several simple rules that, if followed, will reduce the risk to life and health during a thunderstorm.
If you are outdoors, seek shelter (if possible) in a hardtop vehicle or indoors; Do not hide in small buildings (sheds), fabric tents, or among isolated and sparse clusters of trees.
If the shelter is far away, bend down (staying alone); it is advisable to hide in some kind of recess; keep your legs together and remove all metal objects from your head and body. Don't lie down on the ground, but try not to be the highest point on the area.
If your hair stands on end or you hear a buzzing sound coming from nearby objects, such as large rocks or fences, move to another location immediately.
Avoid holding long metal objects such as fishing rods, umbrellas, or golf clubs.
Do not touch metal structures, wire fences, or metal wires used to dry clothes. Don't go near them.
Do not ride a horse, bicycle or open-top car.
If you are driving, reduce your speed and stop, but keep away from tall objects such as trees and high-voltage power lines. Stay in your car or hardtop trailer, but do not touch or go near any metal parts.
If you are swimming, immediately get out of the water and take cover.
If you are sailing by boat, moor to the shore as soon as possible. If it is unsafe, take cover under a tall structure (bridge or pier). The yacht's masts and guy ropes must be reliably grounded to the water.
If you are indoors, you should stay away from windows, electrical appliances, as well as pipes and other metal plumbing.
Don't make phone calls. If you need to call emergency services, speak succinctly and as briefly as possible.
Before a thunderstorm, turn off external antennas and unplug radios and televisions. Disconnect modems and power supplies. D/Z: make security questions, in the photo. Finish the notes
Lightning is a beautiful and inspiring natural phenomenon, but it can also be deadly. Statistics from the last 30 years indicate that 67 people die each year from lightning strikes in the United States alone. However, most of these deaths could have been prevented. The next time you see lightning, follow these tips.
Steps
Find shelter and stay safe
- The best option would be residential buildings (with running water, electricity and, if possible, a lightning rod).
- If there are no residential buildings nearby, hide in a car with an iron body. If lightning strikes a car, the metal casing will conduct the current. Check that all windows and doors in the car are closed. Do not lean against metal parts of the machine, otherwise the current passing through them during a lightning strike will transfer to you. Don't turn on the radio.
- Don't hide in small structures, such as free-standing public restrooms. Open shelters are also not an option. They only attract lightning and do not provide any protection.
- Under no circumstances stand under a tree. Lightning strikes tall objects, and if it strikes a tree you are standing under, the current may spread to you, or you may be injured by a falling tree or branch.
- Keep your pets safe. Dog kennels and other types of shelter for pets do not protect against lightning strikes. An animal leashed to a fence has a much higher risk of being struck by lightning.
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Don't stand near windows. Close all windows and try to stay in the inner parts of the rooms. Windows provide a direct path for lightning to pass through.
Do not touch metal objects or electrical appliances. Using landline phones during thunderstorms is a leading cause of accidents in the United States. Lightning can enter a home through any material that conducts electricity, including landlines, electrical wiring, and plumbing fixtures.
- Avoid touching electrical outlets during a thunderstorm. Do not unplug devices during a thunderstorm, as electrical current may transfer to you.
- Do not lie on concrete floors or lean against concrete walls. Concrete contains metal reinforcement that can conduct electricity.
- Stay away from bathtubs and showers, and avoid indoor pools.
- While in the car, try not to touch its metal or glass parts.
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Stay in cover. Do not leave your shelter for 30 minutes after the last lightning strike. Don't go out if the rain starts to subside. There is still a risk of lightning strikes from a moving thunderstorm.
Find shelter quickly. If you are caught in a thunderstorm, you can protect yourself by taking shelter in a protective structure. Although most people try to take cover when lightning is very close, some people are hesitant to seek cover. If you see lightning, it is close enough to strike you. Don't wait until it hits the ground a meter away from you (or into you) before running for cover. Never stand under a tree (high or low), or near power line supports, as both conduct current well and are extremely dangerous to life and health. Look for rocky shelter, such as a cave.
Actions during a thunderstorm in open areas
- The lower, the safer. Lightning strikes high ground. Try to be as low as possible.
- Avoid large open spaces, such as fields, where you will be the tallest object.
- Stay away from tall objects such as trees or lamp posts.
- Move away from unprotected vehicles such as golf carts and from unprotected structures such as picnic shelters. Avoid long metal structures such as bleachers.
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Get out of the water. If you were fishing or swimming, immediately get out of the water and move away from the body of water. Being near water is extremely dangerous during a thunderstorm.
Split up. If you are caught in a thunderstorm as a group, keep a distance of 15-30 meters between group members. This will reduce the risk of sequential transmission of lightning from one person to another.
- Take roll call after each lightning strike. This will allow you to quickly identify the victim and provide him with first aid.
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Take off your backpack. If you are bringing a backpack with a metal frame, remove it at the first zipper. Leave it at least 30 meters from your hiding place.
Take the appropriate posture. The safest position is considered to be the following: sit down, put your feet together, lower your head and chest onto your knees and forearms, and clasp your knees with your hands. Do not lie flat on the ground - this will increase the area of lightning strike.
- This is an uncomfortable position, but it will keep you safe. In this position, lightning will not hit vital organs, but will pass through the body, causing you less harm.
- Cover your ears and eyes to protect your hearing and vision from thunder and lightning.
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Pay attention to warning signs of lightning. Just before lightning strikes, your hair may stand on end or you may feel a slight tingling sensation in your skin. Light metal objects may vibrate and a cracking sound may be heard. If you notice any of these signs, immediately assume the pose described above.
Wear rubber boots. They isolate current well.
Reduce risk. If you cannot get to shelter, try to minimize the risk as much as possible.
Precautionary measures
- However, remember that lightning can strike without all these signs.
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Calculate the distance to the lightning. If lightning cannot be seen visually, use the 30-second rule: If the time between the flash of lightning and the sound of thunder is 30 seconds or less (10 km or less), immediately take cover.
Make an action plan. If you are in an area where thunderstorms are likely, find out where you can take shelter. Discuss the action plan with the group so everyone knows what to do in an emergency.
Prepare an emergency kit. You should have first aid supplies and other supplies on hand in case of disaster. During a thunderstorm, you may be without power, so have alternative light sources.
Install a lightning rod. If you live in an area that attracts lightning, install a lightning rod to protect your family and property.
- Install the lightning rod correctly. An incorrectly installed lightning rod will only increase the likelihood of a lightning strike.
Plan ahead. The best way to avoid injury from lightning is to avoid the lightning itself. Plan activities around the possibility of thunderstorms. Listen to your local weather forecast for any storm warnings.
Watch the sky. When you're outside, watch for changes in the sky that indicate a storm is approaching: rain, darkening, or the formation of cumulonimbus clouds. By anticipating lightning before it strikes, you can avoid a dangerous situation.
Help for lightning strike victims
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Call the rescue service. Because a lightning strike can cause cardiac arrest, a person may require resuscitation. If you cannot dial 9-1-1, ask someone else to do it.
Make sure that it is safe for you to assist the victim. Don't put yourself in danger by trying to help someone who has been struck by lightning. Either wait until the danger has passed, or drag the victim to a safer place.
- Contrary to popular belief, lightning strikes the same place twice.
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Start CPR. People struck by lightning do not retain the current, so you can immediately touch them and begin first aid. Do not remove burnt clothing unless absolutely necessary.
- Perform CPR on a child if the victim is a child.
- Give adult CPR if lightning strikes an adult.
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Help a victim who is in shock. Lay the victim on his back so that his head is slightly lower than his body. Lift his legs and hold them.
- When a thunderstorm approaches, protect electrical appliances by unplugging them in advance. Do not use landlines as lightning can travel through the wire. Do not unplug appliances during a thunderstorm, but only do this in advance.
- Do not be in small boats during a thunderstorm. However, if there is no other option to get to the shore, you should not jump into the water - stay in the boat, even if it is a sailing vessel with a mast. There is a misconception that it is safe to be in water during a thunderstorm. In fact, lightning can easily strike the water (or it can conduct an electrical discharge), and while afloat it is not advisable to lose consciousness.
- Protect your hearing by adopting the position described in this article. The sound of thunder is dangerous to your eardrums.
- Lightning travels along the ground within a radius of several meters from where it strikes, so stay away from tall, isolated objects. For the same reason, remember that a person can be injured by lightning even if you did not see it hit him.
- Lightning detection devices and thunder warning services are available at golf courses, parks, etc.
- Lightning is a common summer occurrence across much of the United States. Florida holds the record for the most lightning strikes per square kilometer per year.
- Lightning occurs not only during a thunderstorm, but can also occur during a volcanic eruption. Therefore, make sure that the volcano is dormant. The more ash you see, the greater the chance of lightning.
- Wearing electronic devices with headphones during a thunderstorm increases the likelihood of serious injury upon impact, affecting not only the ears, but also other parts of the body over which the headphone cord passes.
- Wear as much rubber as possible. Rubber is a good insulator, and when struck by lightning, it will reflect it or absorb it. Also, do not touch the metal, as lightning passes over its entire area, and if you touch it, it will transfer to you.
- Stay away from windows.
Storms are often preceded by thunderstorms and strong electrical discharges of lightning.
In the central part of Russia, thunderstorms are observed from May to September, and in the southern regions almost all year round. During a thunderstorm, the main danger is a lightning strike.
In addition to the usual linear (or zigzag) lightning, ball lightning is sometimes observed - a luminous ball floating in the air above the surface of the earth and exploding upon collision with any solid object.
Preventive measures
To reduce the risk of lightning striking economic facilities, buildings and structures, lightning protection is installed in the form of grounded metal masts and wires stretched high above the facility’s structures.
Before going outdoors, check the weather forecast. If a thunderstorm is predicted, reschedule your trip to another day. If you notice a thunderstorm front, then first of all determine the approximate distance to it by the delay time of the first clap of thunder, the first flash of lightning, and also evaluate whether the front is approaching or moving away. Since the speed of light is enormous (300,000 km/s), we observe a lightning flash instantly. Therefore, the sound delay will be determined by the distance and its speed (about 340 m/s).
Example: if after the flash 5 s passed before the thunder, then the distance to the thunderstorm front is 340 m/s x 5 s = 1700 m.
If the sound delay increases, then the thunderstorm front moves away, and if the sound delay decreases, then the thunderstorm front approaches.
What to do during a thunderstorm
Lightning is dangerous when the flash is followed by a clap of thunder. In this case, take immediate precautions.
If you are in a rural area: close windows, doors, chimneys and vents. Do not light the stove because the high temperature gases coming out of the stove pipe have low resistance. Don't talk on the phone: lightning sometimes strikes wires stretched between poles.
During lightning strikes, do not come close to electrical wiring, lightning rods, roof gutters, antennas, do not stand near a window, and if possible, turn off the TV, radio and other electrical appliances.
If you are in the forest, then take cover in a low-growing area of the forest. Avoid shelter near tall trees, especially pine, oak and poplar trees.
Do not be in a body of water or on its shore. Move away from the shore, go down from a high place to a low place.
In the steppe, field, or in the absence of shelter (buildings), do not lie on the ground, exposing your entire body to electric current, but squat down in a hollow, ravine or other natural depression, clasping your legs with your hands.
If a thunderstorm hits you while playing sports, stop immediately. Place metal objects (motorcycle, bicycle, ice ax, etc.) to the side and move 20-30 m away from them.
If a thunderstorm finds you in your car, do not leave it, while closing the windows and lowering the radio antenna.