Rainy weather can be relaxing, but thunderstorms also brings with them dangerous lightning, rain and wind that can cause significant property damage. The National Weather Service reports that lightning kills 49 people each year and injures hundreds more. Lightning strikes can cause lifelong neurological damage to some victims, which is why it is important to heed lightning safety tips and take precautions.
ServiceMaster by Reed has compiled a list of lightning safety tips to keep you safe and protected during a thunderstorm.
Indoors
The safest place to be during a thunderstorm is indoors, but this doesn’t eliminate the potential for a lightning strike. On average, lightning has caused over 2,000 injuries in the past 50 years, and nearly one-third of these injuries occur indoors.
Indoors, lightning can travel through:
- Electrical outlets (refrain from using electronic equipment)
- Plumbing systems (avoid contact with water)
- Telephone wires (avoid using corded phones)
- Metal bars and wires in concrete walls or floors (stay away from concrete walls, floors, doors, windows and porches)
Protect sensitive electronic equipment by utilizing surge protectors or unplugging high-value items. Failing to do so could cause equipment damage or fire damage from a burnt appliance without a surge protector.
Outdoors
If you are caught outside during a thunderstorm, seek shelter immediately as it is one of the most dangerous places to be. If you cannot locate a nearby shelter, avoid getting struck by:
- Avoiding bodies of water like creeks, lakes and ponds
- Avoiding tall trees, open fields, or objects that may attract lightning
- Staying away from elevated spots, such as hilltops, mountain ridges or peaks. Lightning seeks the highest ground, so being in a field puts you at an increased risk of being struck.
- Staying low to the ground but not lying down. Minimize your body's contact with the ground.
When Driving
Remain in your vehicle if a thunderstorm starts while you are driving. However, driving during a lightning storm has its dangers. Follow these tips to lower your risk.
- Shut doors and keep windows up. This will also decrease your chance of getting wet.
- Drive slowly. Drive at a safe speed and avoid any debris.
- Be on the alert for downed power lines. Drive carefully, reroute when necessary, and see to it that you do not run over a downed power line and put you or your car at risk of damage.
- Leave extra space between your car and the car in front of you. Prevent crashing into another car to putting adequate space in between, as it may suddenly brake due to a downed power line or a fallen tree.
- Turn your headlights on to help other drivers see you. This is a helpful gesture to signal other cars that you are nearby, as rain and wind make it hard to notice when another car is coming.
If possible, it’s best to find a safe area to park and wait out the storm.
If Your Home is Struck by Lightning
- Ensure everyone's safety and leave your home immediately if a fire or smoke smell is noticed, as fire spreads quickly throughout your home and leads to significant property damage.
- Call 911 and report that your home has been struck by lightning, regardless of whether you have observed fire or smell smoke. They'll be able to reach out to the fire department who can perform property inspection.
- Return to your property only after the fire department gives a go signal, as returning earlier may expose you to soot and smoke or increase your risk of being stuck inside of a room while a fire spreads.
- Call your insurance company, an electrician to inspect your home's wiring, and a restoration company such as ServiceMaster by Reed to assess the damage, create a customized restoration plan, and bring your property back to pre-loss condition.
Contact Our Fire Damage Restoration Professionals at ServiceMaster by Reed
For a fast response to your fire damage emergency, ServiceMaster by Reed is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at (954) 922-2020. We service residential and commercial properties in Dania Beach, Florida and surrounding areas and counties.
- We offer FREE estimates for all insurance claims
- We bill insurance directly, so you don't have to
- 100% guaranteed work with years of industry experience
You may also connect with us online to schedule an appointment, or email us at smreedoffice1@aol.com. Our office is located in 1210 Stirling Rd. Unit # 8A Dania Beach, FL 33004.
An independent franchise business licensed to serve you by ServiceMaster Restore®.