INJURY PREVENTION LIGHTNING MADDIE EDDLEMAN HPRB 3750 E
INJURY PREVENTION: LIGHTNING MADDIE EDDLEMAN HPRB 3750 E
WHAT IS LIGHTNING? • Lightning is one of the oldest seen natural phenomena on earth. • Lightning is an electric spark. • Thunderstorms help transfer the negative charges back to Earth). Without thunderstorms and lightning, the earth-atmosphere electrical balance would disappear in 5 minutes (NSSL, 2020). Lightning also makes ozone chemicals. • Thunder is the sound made by a flash of lightning (NSSL, 2020). 2
THE DANGERS OF LIGHTNING • In the United States, there about 25 million lightning flashes every year (Ornes, 2019). • Lightning strikes can greatly injury and kill people, so understanding the dangers of lightning is important (Ornes, 2019). If you hear thunder you are in danger of being injured. https: //www. runnersworld. com/trainin g/g 20809752/what-runners-shouldknow-about-lightning-0/ 3
UNDERSTANDING LIGHTNING • • We do not know very much about the process of lightning flashes. Lightning has been tracked using sensors, including one on the international space station (USDC, 2018). Scientists think lightning sparks in one of two ways. 1. The hail, rain and ice inside a storm cloud intensifies the electric field in the cloud. This added charge then sparks lightning (USDC, 2018). 2. Lightning is sparked when cosmic rays, powerful bursts of energy from space, deliver particles with enough energy to start a strike (USDC, 2018). https: //www. sciencenewsforstudents. org/article/where-will-lightning-strike 4
RISK • • Worldwide, lightning injures about 240, 000 people and kill 24, 000 each year (Gatewood, 2004). • • • In the US, lightning strikes are most likely in the spring and summer. In 2012, 28 people died from lightning in the United States. On average, lightning strikes about one in every 700, 000 people there each year (Ornes, 2019). The highest frequency of lightning is in Florida between Tampa and Orlando (NSSL, 2020). On average, lightning kills about four times as many men as women (Ornes, 2019). 5 https: //www. weather. gov/safety/lightning-odds
WHEN THUNDER ROARS, GO INDOORS • The only completely safe action is to get inside a safe building or vehicle (USDC, 2018). • Safe shelters are buildings with electricity and plumbing or metal-topped vehicles with the windows closed (USDC, 2018). https: //www. travelers. com/resources/weather/thunderstorms/lightning-safety-outdoors 6
LIGHTNING SAFETY TIPS • Use cellular phones, not corded. • Do not touch devices such as TVs or cords. • Do not wash your hands, take a shower, or use other plumbing utilities. • Stay away from windows and doors to the outside. • Do not lie on or lean against concrete walls or floors (USDC, 2018). https: //www. canada. ca/en/environment-climatechange/services/lightning/safety/overview. html 7
IF YOU ARE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING Symptoms: LSESSI: • Muscle soreness • Provides educational materials • Headache, nausea, stomach upset and • Supports family and friends of survivors other post-concussion types of • Connects survivors in their area symptoms • (USDC, 2018) Mild confusion, memory slowness or mental clouding • Dizziness, balance problems • Longer term problems – Nerve Damage / Memory Loss / Sleep Issues (USDC, 2018) 8
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