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Lighting Safety Awareness Week
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[JUNE 22, 2006]
The National Weather Service teamed up with the
Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Illinois Department of
Natural Resources to put lightning safety posters in all state parks
and brochures in the hands of park visitors this year. "The
collaboration of these agencies will, hopefully, convey the
importance of lightning safety. The danger of lightning is severely
underrated," said Ernest Goetsch, meteorologist in charge at the
National Weather Service in Lincoln. The Illinois Information
Service recorded a press conference Tuesday when the new lightning
safety brochure was unveiled.
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Twenty-five million lightning strikes occur in the United States
each year, and 650,000 of those are in Illinois alone. This year,
Illinois has already seen one death and four injuries due to
lightning. "About 67 percent of lightning injuries and fatalities
occur during recreational activities and under or near trees. Many
of these injuries are preventable if simple safety guidelines are
followed," said meteorologist Heather Stanley, with the National
Weather Service in Lincoln. "If you are close enough to hear
thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning. Activities
shouldn't resume until at least 30 minutes after the last rumble of
thunder."
Lightning Safety Awareness Week is June 18-24. For more
information, visit these Web pages:
[News release from the
National Weather Service,
Lincoln office] |
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