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Don't Be a Human Lightning Rod
About 50 lightning bolts strike the ground every minute in the U.S. - or about
26 million per year. Florida receives the greatest density of strikes, while the
entire Pacific coast gets almost none at all. 300 people each year report being
struck by lightning - about one for every 86,000 bolts. Among them, almost a quarter
die from injuries, and many more suffer debilitating maiming. If you are caught
in a thunderstorm, the best advice is to avoid being the tallest thing around, and
do not get near the tallest thing around - the residual flash can get you. Avoid
isolated shelters with no metal wiring or plumbing to ground. Avoid pipes, tractors
or other metal objects. Being inside a metal car with rubber tires is good, but
keep away from the windows. If in an open area, find a low spot and lay down. As
a last resort, use the Lightning Crouch: squat down and balance on the balls of
your feet, tuck your head, and place your hands over your ears (eardrum rupturing
from the thunder clap is common).
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