3 Ways to Stay Safe When Lightning is Nearby

Thunderstorms and lightning activity can be scary! The National Lightning Safety Council has declared June 23rd to 29th, 2019 Lightning Safety Awareness Week and a great time for a refresher on lightning safety. Help keep your family safe and prepared during thunderstorms and lightning activity with a lightning detector included on the new AcuRite Atlas™. Here are three ways to stay safe when lightning is nearby:

1. Safety at Home:

When thunderstorms are present, close all windows and do not unplug any electrical equipment. Lightning can enter structures through a direct strike, through wires or pipes that extend from the house, or through the ground. Once lightning is in a structure, it can travel through electrical and phone wires, as well as plumbing. Do not touch any of these items until you are out of risk and your lightning detector reports decreased frequency of strikes.

2. Pet Safety:

If you have outdoor dogs, please make sure they are not in any metal cages or changed to trees or metal runners. Bring them inside the house or to a safe shelter during lightning activity.

3. Know Your Environment:

Please know your lightning safety plan so you can be prepared for various outdoor activities. Swimming or at the beach? Get out of the water and head to a safe structure like your car. Hiking or camping? Head back to the car but do not go over any hills or ridges, keep as low as possible. General rule of thumb is Get Away, Get Shelter, and Get Low. Stay away from open fields and tall isolated trees or objects, get to a low valley or ditch, and stay away from water.