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Survival Zone

 

When Lightning Strikes

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Most people think they know the rules of lightning: 1) Get out of the water. 2) Don't stand under tall trees. 3) Don't wave your metal walking stick in anger at the sky.

That's a start, but there's much more you should know; for starters, how to tell how close the lightning is. If you can't count more than 30 seconds between lightning and thunder, you're in danger. That means the lightning is less than five miles away.

DITCH THE GOLF CART

If it's that close, head for shelter. Large, enclosed buildings are much safer than small, open ones, such as a gazebo or baseball dugout. Enclosed vehicles with the windows rolled up are safe. Golf carts are not.

If you make it to a house, you'd be smart to avoid contact with electrical appliances and even landline phones. You don't want to get close to plumbing fixtures either. So don't take a shower or wash the dishes. A violent thunderstorm is a great time to read a book.
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