Thursday, June 22

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.

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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