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PNSWSH PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC 138 PM EDT THU JUN 14 2007TO: FAMILY OF SERVICES /FOS/ SUBSCRIBERS...NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE /NWWS/ SUBSCRIBERS... EMERGENCY MANAGERS WEATHER INFORMATION NETWORK /EMWIN/ SUBSCRIBERS...NOAAPORT SUBSCRIBERS...OTHER NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE /NWS/ CUSTOMERS AND PARTNERS...
AND NWS EMPLOYEES
FROM: CHRISTOPHER T. MAIER
NWS NATIONAL WARNING COORDINATION METEOROLOGIST
SUBJECT: 2007 NATIONAL LIGHTNING SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK CAMPAIGN
WHEN THUNDER ROARS...GO INDOORS
THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE'S NATIONAL OCEANIC AND
ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION'S (NOAA) NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
(NWS) WILL HOST ITS 7TH ANNUAL LIGHTNING SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK
CAMPAIGN FROM JUNE 24-30 2007.
THE FOCUS OF THE 2007 CAMPAIGN WILL BE ON EDUCATING CHILDREN ABOUT LIGHTNING SAFETY USING MATERIALS THAT INCLUDE LEON THE LIGHTNING LION POSTERS... SAFETY STICKERS... TEACHER TOOLS AND A WEB PAGE FOR KIDS FEATURING AN INTERACTIVE LIGHTNING SAFETY GAME. THE KIDS WEB PAGE CAN BE FOUND ONLINE AT /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/:
HTTP://WWW.LIGHTNINGSAFETY.NOAA.GOV/KIDS.HTM
THE GOAL OF THIS CAMPAIGN IS TO TEACH LIGHTNING SAFETY SKILLS TO
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE NATION. LAST YEAR IN THE UNITED
STATES...AT LEAST 47 PEOPLE WERE KILLED FROM DIRECT LIGHTNING
STRIKES. ON AVERAGE LIGHTNING IS RESPONSIBLE FOR 66 FATALITIES
ANNUALLY. IN ADDITION...HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ARE INJURED EACH
YEAR... MANY WITH SERIOUS AND LASTING IMPACTS ON THEIR QUALITY OF
LIFE SUCH AS PERMANENT NERVE DAMAGE AND HEARING LOSS.
IN THE UNITED STATES LIGHTNING DEATHS AND INJURIES OCCUR MOST FREQUENTLY IN OPEN AREAS. LIGHTNING SAFETY IS CRUCIAL WHEN YOU ARE OUTDOORS...ESPECIALLY SINCE SO MANY ACTIVITIES TAKE PLACE IN OPEN AREAS LIKE ATHLETIC FIELDS...GOLF COURSES AND BEACHES. IF OUTDOORS...PLAN TO IMMEDIATELY SEEK SAFE SHELTER IN A FULLY ENCLOSED BUILDING OR HARD-TOPPED VEHICLE IF YOU HEAR THUNDER OR THE SKIES LOOK THREATENING. THERE IS NO SAFE PLACE OUTDOORS.
PEOPLE ARE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO LIGHTNING STRIKES WHEN A STORM IS APPROACHING OR EXITING THEIR AREA. LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE MORE THAN 10 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT LIGHTNING SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK IS AVAILABLE ON THE NWS LIGHTNING SAFETY WEBSITE AT /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/:
HTTP://WWW.LIGHTNINGSAFETY.NOAA.GOV
THIS SITE CONTAINS A WEALTH OF INFORMATION ABOUT LIGHTNING SAFETY
AND PROVIDES INSIGHT TO THE SCIENCE AND MEDICAL ASPECTS OF
LIGHTNING. THERE ARE ALSO OUTREACH MATERIALS...INCLUDING POSTERS
AND PUBLIC SAFETY ANNOUNCEMENTS...TO ASSIST WITH LIGHTNING SAFETY
AWARENESS EFFORTS.
LIGHTNING SAFETY TIPS:1. KEEP AN EYE ON THE SKY. LOOK FOR DARKENING SKIES...FLASHES OF LIGHTNING...OR INCREASING WIND...WHICH MAY BE SIGNS OF AN APPROACHING THUNDERSTORM. GET TO A SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY IF A THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES. COACHES AND OTHER LEADERS SHOULD LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO DURING PRACTICE SESSIONS AND GAMES FOR THE LATEST FORECASTS AND WARNINGS.
2. POSTPONE OR HALT OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES BEFORE THE RAIN BEGINS. MANY PEOPLE TAKE SHELTER FROM THE RAIN...BUT MOST PEOPLE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING ARE NOT IN THE RAIN. GO QUICKLY INSIDE A COMPLETELY ENCLOSED BUILDING...NOT A CARPORT...OPEN GARAGE...DUGOUT OR COVERED PATIO. IF NO ENCLOSED BUILDING IS NEARBY...GET INSIDE A HARD-TOPPED ALL-METAL VEHICLE AND REMAIN THERE UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.
3. PLACES TO AVOID INCLUDE: UNDER OR CLOSE TO TREES... SHEDS... PICNIC SHELTERS...BASEBALL/SOFTBALL DUGOUTS...BLEACHERS... BEACHES AND OPEN FIELDS. KEEP TWICE AS FAR AWAY FROM A TREE AS IT IS TALL. ALSO STAY AWAY FROM CLOTHES LINES...FENCES... EXPOSED SHEDS...AND ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE ELEVATED OBJECTS.
4. GET OUT OF THE WATER...IT IS A GREAT CONDUCTOR OF ELECTRICITY. STAY OFF THE BEACH AND OUT OF SMALL BOATS OR CANOES. IF CAUGHT IN A BOAT...CROUCH DOWN IN THE CENTER AWAY FROM METAL HARDWARE. SWIMMING...WADING...SNORKELING...AND SCUBA DIVING ARE NOT SAFE. LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE THE WATER AND TRAVEL SOME DISTANCE BENEATH AND AWAY FROM ITS POINT OF CONTACT. DO NOT STAND IN PUDDLES OF WATER.
THIS AND OTHER NATIONAL PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENTS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/:
HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OM/NOTIF.HTM $$ ============================================================================== To unsubscribe nws-changes, visit: http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/mailing-list-delete-form.html ==============================================================================
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