Lightning Safety Awareness Day

Today is Lightning Safety Awareness day in Wisconsin – and it
serves as an opportunity to remind people of the dangers of lightning and the
importance of being safe when a thunderstorm approaches. According to the
National Weather Service, lightning strikes kill an average of 47 people a year
in the United States, and many of the situations could be prevented if people
understood the dangers of lightning and the proper safety precautions to take.


Emergency Management officials say there is no safe place
outside during a thunderstorm, and if you can hear thunder, you are close
enough to be struck by lightning. Lightning can strike as far as 10 miles away
from any rainfall, and the danger continues even after it appears the storm has
passed. It’s recommended that people stay inside a safe building or vehicle for
at least 30 minutes after you hear the last of the thunder.