Live Safe Foundation

Electrical Appliance Safety

Guest — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:19:06 +0000

Electrical fires in homes claimed the lives of 370 people in 2006, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Most of these fires are caused by misuse and poor maintenance of electrical appliances. The kind of appliances most often involved in electrical fires are stoves, ovens, clothes dryers, central heating units, TVs, radios, and CD/DVD players. Help prevent an electrical fire in your home by taking the following preventative measures:

Routinely check your electrical appliances and wiring for cracked wires. Replace worn, old or damaged appliance cords immediately.
Use extension cords only temporarily and don’t overload them by attaching more electrical appliances to them than they are designed to handle.
Pinching cords against walls or furniture or running them under carpets or across doorways can cause a fire.
Place lamps on level surfaces, away from things that can burn and use bulbs that match the lamp’s recommended wattage.
Purchase only electrical appliances that have the label of a recognized testing laboratory such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL), indicating it has met safety standards.
Keep children from playing with or around electrical appliances such as space heaters, irons, and hair dryers. Homes with young children should have tamper-resistant electrical receptacles.
Keep clothes, curtains, and other similar combustible items at least three feet from all heaters. Keep lamps, light fixtures, and light bulbs away from anything that can burn, including lamp shades, furniture, bedding, clothing, and flammable or combustible liquids.
Check your electrical tools regularly for signs of wear. Replace any tool if it causes even small electrical shocks, overheats, shorts, or gives off smoke or sparks.

If an electrical appliance catches fire, first try unplugging it or shutting the electricity off at the fuse or circuit breaker panel. If you cannot shut off the electricity, use a portable extinguisher with the rating of “C” on it, indicating it is approved for use on electrical fires. If you do not have a fire extinguisher, or the fire is too large to fight (larger than a household waste basket), leave the house and call the fire department. Do not use water on the fire as it conducts electricity and you could be shocked.

To learn more about extinguishers and get first-hand experience using one on a real fire, take advantage of one of our group training classes, offered by appointment. Request a date for your group by completing the online program request form at www.wtwp.com.

Article Credits: Fire Marshal Alan Perkins, CFPS, is a 32-year veteran of the fire service. A Certified Fire Protection Specialist through the National Fire Protection Association and a member of several similar safety organizations. Perkins is the Fire Marshal for the Washington Township Fire Department, Dublin, Ohio. For more information, contact: Leslie Dybiec, Public Information Officer Phone: (614) 652-3928 Fax: (614) 766-2507 or ldybiec@wtwp.com.

Live Safe Foundation is an Ohio based non-profit organization (501c3), and leading grassroots movement, devoted to making and fire and life safety education, awareness initiatives and life saving tools available on a broad basis to communities, campuses, and institutions in an effort to reduce national fire fatalities and fire losses. Live Safe aims to help finance fire safety education where means are otherwise unavailable. Live Safe is developing and sponsoring programs to help groups find the resources needed to advance individual and community fire safety.

Side-by-Side Fires to be Set by the Columbus Division of Fire To Help Columbus area Residents Understand Risks and Home Safety Technology

admin — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:11:39 +0000

The Columbus Fire Division will be performing a live, side-by-side fire and sprinkler burn demonstration that vividly shows the tremendous speed of a typical home fire and its potential for deadly destruction. Also illustrated is the vital importance of home fire safety technology that can save lives and reduce property damage (smoke alarms and home fire sprinkler systems). The demonstration is open to the public.

WHEN: Wednesday, August 4, 2010 at 12 noon.

WHERE: The rear of the Division of Fire Training complex, located at the rear of 3675 Parsons Avenue.

WHY: More than 80 percent of all fire deaths occur in the home. The Columbus Division of Fire is using this important event to help people of every age understand how dangerous a home fire is, and how important prevention, detection, suppression and escape are.

This demonstration is part of the Fire Team USA workshop, which is being held at the Columbus Fire Training Center on Wednesday, August 4, 2010 and Thursday, August 5, 2010. Fire Team USA is a federally funded Fire Prevention grant administered by the Department of Homeland Security, Assistance to Firefighters grant program. For more information about Fire Team USA, visit www.fireteamusa.com or the event, please contact David Sawyer, Lieutenant, Fire Prevention Bureau, 645-5668.

Extreme Summer Heat Poses Health Risk to Kids, Elderly and Medically Fragile

Guest — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 22:54:08 +0000

Safety Tips and Cooling Programs help Residents Enjoy a Healthier and Safer Summer:

As the thermometer rises this summer, so does the risk of suffering from a heat related illness. While anyone can suffer from a heat related illness, extreme heat is particularly dangerous to young children, the elderly and people with underlying medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes and heart disease. But according to Columbus Public Health Commissioner Dr. Teresa Long and Franklin County Board of Health Commissioner Susan Tilgner, a few heat safety tips can protect and help everyone maintain good health, as the heat index rises.

In extreme heat and humidity, the health commissioners offer the following tips to stay cool and safe:

Drink plenty of water – do not wait until you are thirsty.
Stay inside in air conditioning whenever possible. If you do not have an air conditioner, use movie theatres, malls, libraries and other public places that are cool.
Avoid beverages with alcohol, caffeine and sugar because they will dehydrate you.
Eat light meals.
Wear lightweight, light colored clothing and a hat.
Stay in the shade.
Limit your outdoor activity to morning and evening hours.

Heat related illnesses such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke can strike at any time. Symptoms include dizziness, nausea, rapid heartbeat, headache, absence of perspiration and dry, hot flushed skin. Anyone experiencing these symptoms should seek immediate medical attention.

In addition to these safety tips, Long and Tilgner also note that cooling assistance programs are available to qualifying people from several community organizations:

The Breathing Association and OhioHealth Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) – Summer Crisis Program, providing electric bill assistance and air conditioning units for elderly households and customers with qualifying incomes and medical conditions, July 1-August 31. Call for appointment at 566-0750.
LifeCare Alliance and 10TV Fan Club – Free fan program for households with immediate family members with chronic health conditions. For more information, contact 278-3130. (Currently, there is a waiting list.) New box fans also can be donated for the program at any City of Columbus fire station. For more information, call Michelle Jones at 437-2803.
Impact Community Action – Summer Crisis Program providing energy bill assistance to households that meet income eligibility guidelines and have a member more than 60 years of age with certain medical conditions. For guidelines and appointments, call 866-747-1038.
Franklin County Senior Options – Free fan program for current clients ages 60 years or older without a working air conditioner. (Clients who received a fan in the last two years are ineligible.) For more information, call 462-6200.

For more information on summer cooling programs or heat safety, visit the Columbus Public Health Web site at www.publichealth.columbus.gov or the Franklin County Board of Health site at www.franklincountyohio.gov/health.

Article credits: Courtesy of Press Release by the Columbus Public Health & Franklin County Board of Health. For more information, please contact: Jose Rodriguez at (614) 645-6928 jrrodriguez@columbus.gov or contact Mitzi Kline at (614) 462-3028 mrkline@franklincountyohio.gov.

Visible House Numbers Important for Emergencies

Guest — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 21:22:19 +0000

Most fire departments have detailed maps of the neighborhoods they protect and are familiar with the locations of streets, commercial buildings and hydrants within their jurisdiction.

Because emergency response crews need to find addresses as quickly as possible when called, they often rely on house numbers for quick reference. If the numbers on your home are not easy to find or read, it will take longer for crews to reach you. Victims of heart attack, stroke, or choking need immediate care. Minutes can mean the difference between life and death.

House numbers should meet the following requirements:

• Must be Arabic numerals. Fancy numbers or numbers that are spelled out may be aesthetically pleasing but are very difficult to read from the street.

• Need to be a minimum of four inches high and in a contrasting color to their immediate background. Brass or bronze numbers are difficult to see in the day or nighttime.

• Must be displayed on the front of the dwelling and visible from the street.

• If the dwelling is located more than 45 feet from the front lot line, the number should be displayed on a gate post, fence, mailbox, or other appropriate place that will make it visible from the street from all directions when approaching from the street.

• Cannot be obstructed by shrubs, trees, decorations, etc.

Take a moment to look at your house number. Make sure your numbers follow the above guidelines. It will help emergency crews find you easier and faster.

For more information about the requirements for house numbers in the City of Dublin, Ohio, consult the City’s building code ordinance #150.125 (Manner of Numbering and System) and the Washington Township Fire Code Section 505.1 (Address Numbers).

Images: Courtesy of Google Images

National Pet Fire Safety Day is July 15: Promote pet fire safety in your community

Jill — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 12:00:35 +0000

By: U.S. Fire Administration

July 9, 2010 – An estimated 500,000 pets are affected annually by home fires, and a new data analysis by the National Fire Protection Association shows that nearly 1,000 house fires each year are accidentally started by the homeowners’ pets. The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is joining ADT Security Services and the American Kennel Club® (AKC) for the third annual National Pet Fire Safety Day on July 15 to spread awareness about how to prevent pets from starting home fires and keep pets safe in the event of an emergency.

“Not many pet owners realize that their pet can actually be the cause of a devastating fire,” said AKC spokesperson Lisa Peterson. “Simple preventative measures, such as flameless candles and removing stove knobs when leaving the house, can mean the difference between life and death for your four-legged friends.”

Chris and Kay Wardlow of Oklahoma know that all too well. Their curious dog Lucy was home alone and spied a cake on the stove top. As Lucy tried to get a taste, her paw accidentally hit the stove knob and turned on the gas burner that was under the cake pan. Within minutes, the house was filled with smoke, triggering the Wardlow’s ADT monitored smoke detector. Firefighters were called to the scene and Lucy was rescued.

“Planning for unexpected emergencies like home fires and taking these precautions are an integral part of responsible dog ownership,” Peterson said.

Fire departments across the country are encouraged to utilize Pet Fire Safety Day on July 15 to spread pet fire safety messages in your community. The following tips can be used to help educate pet owners on how to prevent their beloved pet from starting a fire, as well as how to keep their pets safe.

Prevent your pet from starting fires

* Extinguish open flames – Pets are generally curious and will investigate cooking appliances, candles, or even a fire in your fireplace. Ensure your pet is not left unattended around an open flame and make sure to thoroughly extinguish any open flame before leaving your home.

* Remove stove knobs – Be sure to remove stove knobs or protect them with covers before leaving the house – a stove or cook top is the number one piece of equipment involved in your pet starting a fire.

* Invest in flameless candles – These candles contain a light bulb rather than an open flame, and take the danger out of your pet knocking over a candle. Cats are notorious for starting fires when their tails turn over lit candles.

* Beware of water bowls on wooden decks – Do not leave a glass water bowl for your pet outside on a wooden deck. The sun’s rays when filtered through the glass and water can actually heat up and ignite the wooden deck beneath it. Choose stainless steel or ceramic bowls instead.

* Pet proof the home – Take a walk around your home and look for areas where pets might start fires inadvertently, such as loose wires and other potential hazards.

Keep your pets safe

* Keep pets near entrances when away from home – When leaving pets home alone, keep them in areas or rooms near entrances where firefighters can easily find them.

* Secure young pets – Especially with young puppies, keep them confined away from potential fire-starting hazards when you are away from home, such as in crates or behind baby gates in secure areas.

* Practice escape routes with pets – Keep collars and leashes at the ready in case you have to evacuate quickly with your pet or firefighters need to rescue your pet.

* Consider using monitored smoke detection services – As an added layer of protection beyond battery-operated smoke alarms, smoke detectors connected to a monitoring center help save pets who can’t escape when left home alone.

* Affix a pet alert window cling – Write down the number of pets inside your house and attach the static cling to a front window. This critical information saves rescuers time when locating your pets. Make sure to keep the number of pets listed on them updated.

The NVFC has a listing of fire departments across the nation where pet owners can obtain a free pet alert window cling as part of National Pet Fire Safety Day. Visit www.nvfc.org/windowclings to find a location near you. The clings are also free online at www.adt.com/pets and will be available this September at your local AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Day. This year’s flagship event will be held in Raleigh on September 24. Visit http://www.akc.org/clubs/rdod/ for more information on an event near you.

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) represents the interests of the volunteer fire, EMS, and rescue services. The NVFC serves as the voice of the volunteer in the national arena and provides invaluable tools, resources, programs, and advocacy for first responders across the nation. Learn more at www.nvfc.org.

Live Safe Foundation is an Ohio based non-profit organization (501c3), and leading grassroots movement, devoted to making fire safety education, awareness initiatives and life saving tools available on a broad basis to communities, campuses, and institutions in an effort to reduce national fire fatalities and fire losses. Live Safe aims to help finance fire safety education where means are otherwise unavailable. Live Safe is developing and sponsoring programs to help groups find the resources needed to advance individual and community fire safety.

Know and Test All Exit Routes

Guest — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 21:16:40 +0000

About 3,000 people die every year in home fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Most fatal home fires begin at night while we are asleep. Unprepared for the effects of the smoke, disoriented from being awakened abruptly and frightened, many people make poor decisions for escape and haven’t identified and tested all their escape routes. Your family will have a better chance of escaping safely from a fire if they practice a home fire escape plan, know how to stay low and crawl under smoke the nearest exit, and are able to locate and use multiple emergency exit routes.

In most homes and apartments, emergency exits are usually windows and stairways. Make sure windows can be opened and screens and storm windows can be removed from the inside. Confirm that children can operate the window locks and know how to get out quickly. If they cannot get out, they should know to wait for help at the window, where firefighters can see them.

If bedrooms are on the second floor, have a folding escape ladder available and practice putting it in the window. Non-combustible escape ladders that have been tested and listed by an independent testing laboratory are available from most hardware stores. Don’t count on being able to create a ladder by tying bed sheets together. There is usually not enough time or enough bed sheets nearby and jumping from a second story window can cause severe injuries.

If you live in an apartment or condominium and enclosed stairways are your emergency exits, practice finding these in the dark. Count the number of doors from your bedroom to the exit stairway. You probably won’t be able to see the lighted exit sign above the doorway through the smoke. Keep the doors to all exit stairways closed to help prevent smoke from entering your escape route.

Generate as many different escape routes for your family as possible and practice all of them at least twice a year. Always choose the escape route that is safest, the one with the least amount of smoke and heat. When you do your fire drill, everyone should practice getting low and going under the smoke to your emergency exit. Practicing can help reduce your family members’ response time, an important factor in a fire situation. When time is short, fast action is needed.

If your family does not have a home fire escape plan, contact the Washington Township Fire Department at 614-652-3920 for information.

Images: Courtesy of Google Images and www.nfpa.org/…/ ClearEscapeRoutes.jpg

8th (and final) Christine Wilson 5K Run/Walk

admin — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 20:56:47 +0000

Mark you calendars!

The 8th (and final) Christine Wilson 5K Run/Walk will be held Saturday, July 31, 2010 at 10:00am. The event will start at the Dublin Soccer fields on Avery Road. The soccer fields are just north of St. Brigid of Kildare Church located at 7401 Avery Road, Dublin, Ohio 43017. The registration tables will be located by the covered pavilion on the opposite end of the fields from the Water Tower (south end).

Sign up online at http://www.christinewilsonfoundation.org (follow the link to the http://premierraces.com site) or the day of the race beginning at 8:15AM at the Dublin Soccer field. Attached is a sign-up form/flyer. The entry fee is $33 (by 7/30th) and $35 thereafter. All kids 18 and younger are $20. Additional donations are accepted. The first 500 entrants will receive a commemorative tee shirt for participating and various age group awards will be given following the run. Call Tim Wilson with questions at 937-644-7126 or check the http://premierraces.com website for more details on the event.

The Christine Wilson Foundation has been established to remember Christine Wilson, for the warm and caring young lady that she was and to do something positive in her name. The Foundation funds 2 annual $2,500 Scholarships to Bishop Watterson High School , a school she loved and admired. The Foundation also donates to many charitable Children’s causes including the following over the past 12 months.

An exciting partnership will be announced at the race! The Christine Wilson Foundation will be partnering with the OSU Burn Center to segue the run in the future down on the OSU campus. The OSU Medical Center Burn Center and Christine Wilson Foundation will partner together this spring for the “Blaze the Trail” for Burn prevention, education, patient care and research run which is a wonderful community-wide event to be held on April 10, 2011.

$56,000 Donated to the Children’s Hospital in December for their Family Advocacy Center for abuse
$5,000 in scholarships awarded to 2 students planning to attend Bishop Watterson
$1,500 Donated to Juvenile Diabetes
$1,500 for the Arthritis Foundation camp for kids

Christine Wilson 5K Run/Walk

Where: Dublin Soccer Fields (starting line) at 7401 Avery Rd. (just North of St. Brigid’s)
Why: Fundraiser benefiting the Christine Wilson Foundation which supports Children’s causes in Central Ohio
When: July 31st at 10:00 a.m. with onsite registration beginning at 8:15a.m.
Details: Can signup online and to get additional information go to <http://www.christinewilsonfoundation.org> (click on link). $33 entry fee ($20 for kids 18 & under). Once you signup online, you can pick up your race packet (shirt & bib #) beginning 7/23rd thru 7/30^th at the Columbus Running Company store at Perimeter Loop SC in Dublin (down from Blockbusters).

For more information, contact Tim Wilson at 614-306-9775.

Don’t forget common fire safety – Do you own fire extinguishers?

admin — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 19:50:21 +0000

Give this some thought…if a fire were to break out in your home, would you have the tools to try and extinguish it?

Any homeowner who can’t answer ‘yes’ to the above question definitely needs to go over basic home fire safety as well as stock the house with some essentials such as a fire extinguisher. An ABC Type Fire Extinguisher is something you should ideally have on every floor of your home. One should certainly be easily accessible in the kitchen, and it’s a good idea to have one near the grill and fireplace too. This type of extinguisher has a strap bracket and a gauge for easy pressure checking. Having a few of these in your home doesn’t hurt anything, and you will be prepared to stop a small fire before it spreads and destroys your belongings or harms a loved one.

Remember, your kitchen stove can be dangerous. It’s a source of an open flame that can lead to kitchen fires. But before that even happens, you can always prevent them by being extra cautious. You don’t want to lose your home just because you left the water boiling.

As shown on the Today Show, Meredeth Viera and Janice Lieberman learn how to use a fire extinguisher with BullEx training systems. Janice Lieberman, of Reader’s Digest and BullEx CEO Ryan O’Donnell show you how to properly squelch out-of-control stove-top and oven flames. In this segment Janice Lieberman visits America’s Test Kitchen to learn how to prevent cooking fires and learns how to use a fire extinguisher with Greenwich, CT Fire Department. Janice even gets some live-fire experience with a BullEx Intelligent Training System. Back in the studio, BullEx CEO Ryan O’Donnell showed Meredith Vieira and Janice how to handle stove-top, oven and trash-can fires with BullEx SmartProps.

Click the image below to view the full segment.

Here are some additional tips on how to prevent kitchen fires.

Always keep a charged fire extinguisher handy. And know how to operate it. Better get an all-purpose one (the one marked “ABC”).
Don’t leave something cooking unattended.
When cooking, turn pot handles inward. You (or your child) may knock them down accidentally.
Clean your stove top from grease. They can ignite. If you happen to experience one, reach for your fire extinguisher.
Roll your sleeves up when cooking.
Keep all flammable things away from open flame. These include wooden spice racks and potholders.
If a pan on the stove catches fire, slide a lid over it to “smother” the flame.
If a fire breaks from other appliances like microwave ovens or broilers, cut off the heat source.

Click here for more information on BullEx’s full line of fire prevention SmartProps, including the SmartStove and TrashCan SmartProp. For more information on our Fire Safety Trailers and to find out how these SmartProps integrate into an entire fire safety scenario, click here.

Source: Information in this article provided by The Today Show at www.msnbc.com and BullEx Digital Safety at www.bullexsafety.com

Focus on Fireworks Safety

Guest — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 03:54:50 +0000

Every year in the United States, we celebrate the Fourth of July with community parades, picnics, barbecues, and fireworks – the things of which happy memories are made. But sadly, Independence Day also includes tragic events resulting from fireworks use. The safest way to enjoy them is through public displays conducted by professional pyrotechnicians hired by communities. Learning fireworks safety tips can help ensure that everyone has a happy and safe summer holiday.

By the Numbers: Fireworks

* 30,100: Estimated number of fires caused by fireworks each year

* 7,000: Estimated number of injuries caused by fireworks in 2008

* 7: Fireworks-related deaths occurred in 2008

* $34: million Amount of direct property loss caused by fireworks

Sources: National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)

Who is at Most Risk?

In 2008, U.S. hospital emergency rooms treated an estimated 7,000 people for fireworks-related injuries. 70% of these injuries occurred between June 20 – July 20. Of these:

* 46% of injuries were to the extremities and 36% were to the head.
* 56% were burns, while 21% were contusions and lacerations.
* Two of 5 people injured by fireworks were under the age of 15.
* 62% of injuries were to males; 38% were to females.
* Devices such as sparklers, fountains, roman candles, and novelties accounted for 40% of injuries; firecrackers caused 18% of injuries.

DOWNLOAD:

2008 Fireworks Annual Report: Fireworks-Related Deaths, Emergency Department-Treated Injuries, and Enforcement Activities During 2008 (PDF, 300 Kb):http://www.cpsc.gov/library/2008fwreport.pdf

This report provides the results of the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission staff analysis of data on non-occupational fireworks-related deaths and injuries during 2008.

How and Why Do These Injuries Occur?

* Availability: In spite of federal regulations and varying state prohibitions, many types of fireworks are still accessible to the public. Distributors often sell fireworks near state borders, where laws prohibiting sales on either side of the border may differ.
* Fireworks type: Among the various types of fireworks, some of which are sold legally in some states, bottle rockets can fly into peoples’ faces and cause eye injuries; sparklers can ignite clothing (sparklers burn at more than 1,000°F); and firecrackers can injure the hands or face if they explode at close range.
* Being too close: Injuries may result from being too close to fireworks when they explode; for example, when someone leans over to look more closely at a firework that has been ignited, or when a misguided bottle rocket hits a nearby person.
* Lack of physical coordination: Younger children often lack the physical coordination to handle fireworks safely.
* Curiosity: Children are often excited and curious around fireworks, which can increase their chances of being injured (for example, when they re-examine a firecracker dud that initially fails to ignite).
* Experimentation: Homemade fireworks (for example, ones made of the powder from several firecrackers) can lead to dangerous and unpredictable explosions.

Did You Know?

* 92% of the fireworks injuries treated in hospital emergency rooms involved fireworks that Federal regulations permit consumers to use.

* The tip of a sparkler burns at a temperature of more than 1,200 degrees – this is hot enough to cause third degree burns.

What Can I Do?

* The best way to protect your family is not to use any fireworks at home — period. Attend public fireworks displays and leave the lighting to the professionals.

* Kids should never play with fireworks. Sparklers can reach 1,800° Fahrenheit (982° Celsius) — hot enough to melt gold.

* Steer clear of others — fireworks have been known to backfire or shoot off in the wrong direction. Never throw or point fireworks at someone, even in jest.

* Don’t allow kids to pick up pieces of fireworks after an event. Some may still be ignited and can explode at any time.

* Think about your pet. Animals have sensitive ears and can be extremely frightened or stressed on the Fourth of July. Keep pets indoors to reduce the risk that they’ll run loose or get injured.

Links:

Consumer Product Safety Commission: Fireworks Fact Sheet:
http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/012.html

National Center for Injury Prevention and Control: Fireworks-Related Injuries:
http://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Fireworks/fireworks-factsheet.html

National Fire Protection Association: Fireworks
http://www.nfpa.org/categoryList.asp?categoryID=297&cookie_test=1

For additional information, please download this PDF from USFA on Fireworks and Fire Safety: www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/pdf/…/jun_2010_fireworks.pdf

Article Credits: FEMA, U.S. Fire Administration

When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors

Guest — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 11:00:27 +0000

Did you know that all thunderstorms produce lightning and lightning can strike as far as ten miles away from any rainfall? Many deaths from lightning occur ahead of the storm because people wait to the last minute before seeking shelter. According to the National Weather Service, 34 people were killed by lightning last year. Hundreds more were struck and survived, suffering life-long injury and or permanent disability.

If you are outdoors and see lightning, move indoors to a completely enclosed building or into a hard-topped vehicle and close the windows. Avoid being in or near high places and open fields, isolated trees, unprotected gazebos, car ports, pavilions, tents, shelters, baseball dugouts, flagpoles, light poles, metal or wood bleachers, metal fences, and water. Don’t hold on to metal items such as golf clubs, umbrellas or tools.

To determine how far a thunderstorm is from you, use the 30-30 Rule. When you see lightning, count the number of seconds that pass until you hear thunder. If you hear thunder within 30 seconds of seeing lightning, the storm is within six miles. Seek shelter immediately. Wait at least 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder before leaving shelter.

If you are at home when a storm is expected, unplug major or unnecessary appliances such as televisions and air conditioners, as power surges can damage appliances beyond repair. Avoid using corded phones or any electrical appliances.

Lightning can enter your home as a direct strike, through wires or pipes that extend outside your home (i.e. water, gas pipes), or through the ground. Once it makes it into your home, the current generated by the lightning strike can travel through electrical lines, plumbing, phone lines, radio or television reception systems. Flexible gas line is more susceptible to lightning damage than iron pipe. Look, listen and smell for gas leaks and any evidence of a fire. If the fire is small (smoldering) and in a remote location such as the crawl space, basement, or attic, you may not be able to see flames but you can often smell or see smoke.

If you detect any unusual odors or see any smoke, call 9-1-1 immediately.

National Lightning Safety Awareness Week is June 20-26. Take a few minutes this week to make sure your family members know what to do when they are outside or at home and hear thunder. Don’t wait for the rain to begin to take shelter. A comprehensive list of safety tips and other lightning resources are available at http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov.

Images: Courtesy of Google Images