Lightning!

Every thunderstorm produces lightning, which kills more people each year than tornadoes! Lightning occurs with ALL thunderstorms. Nationally, lightning kills an average of 93 people and injures 300 each year. Causes several hundred million dollars in damage to property and forests annually.

* Signs of a storm: Look for darkening skies, flashes of light or increasing wind. Listen for the sound of thunder. If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to the storm to be struck by lightening. Go to safe shelter immediately. Find shelter in a building or car. Keep car windows closed and avoid convertibles.

* Telephone lines and metal pipes can conduct electricity. Unplug appliances; avoid using the telephone or any electrical appliances. (Leaving electrical lights on, however, does not increase the chances of your home being struck by lightning.)

* Don't take a bath or shower.

* Turn off the air conditioner. Power surges from lightning can overload the compressor and damage the air conditioner!

* Draw blinds and shades over windows. If windows break due to objects being blown by the wind of a storm, then the shades will prevent glass from shattering into your home.

If you are caught outside during a thunderstorm, you must act immediately:

* If you are in the woods, take shelter under the shorter trees.

* If you are boating or swimming, get to land and find shelter right away!

* If you can go to a low-lying, open place away from trees, poles or metal objects. Make sure
the place you pick is not subject to flooding.

* Become a very small target! Squat low to the ground. Place your hands on your knees with
your head between them. Make yourself the smallest target possible.

* Do not lie flat on the ground - this will make you a larger target!


**Tips courtesy of FEMA and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Lightning

Some good information from our partners in safety at the National Fire Protection Association. 

-Bill D

Fires started by lightning peak in the summer months and in the late afternoon and early evening.

Facts & figures

• During 2004-2008, U.S.fire departments responded to an estimated annual average of 24,600 fires started by lightning. These fires caused annual averages of 12 civilian deaths, 47 civilian injuries, and $407 million in direct property damage.
• More than half of fires caused by lightning occur outdoors. Deaths and injuries from lightning fires is small, but the dollar loss is more than $400 million per year.
• In 2004-2008, only 18% of reported lightning fires occurred in homes, but these accounted for 88% of the civilian deaths, 77% of the associated injuries and 70% of the property damage.

Source: NFPA's "Lightning Fires and Lightning Strikes" report by Ben Evarts, December 2010

Video: NFPA's Lisa Braxton says following some simple safety tips can greatly reduce the risk of being struck by lightning.

April 8 – 14 is Severe Storm Awareness Week; Residents Urged to Prepare for Severe Weather and Other Emergencies

During National Severe Storm Awareness Week (April 8 – 14) Montgomery County’s Office of Homeland Security is urging residents to ensure they are prepared for the next storm , whether it is tornados, hurricanes, possibility of high winds, power outages, severe lightning, hail or flooding. Last year, the state of Maryland experienced 27 tornado incidents.

Anyone who has not already signed up for the County’s Alert Montgomery notification system is encouraged to do so by going to https://alert.montgomerycountymd.gov and selecting the types of emergency alerts they are interested in receiving. Options include weather, severe traffic, schools, parks and government facilities, athletic fields and public events. Residents then specify the devices to which the messages should be sent --cell phones, text pagers, wireless PDAs, home and work emails.

“A few minutes of preparation can make all the difference in how well an individual fares during a severe storm,” said Chris Voss, director of the Montgomery County Office of Homeland Security. “Simple things like maintaining a first aid kit with essential medications for emergencies and keeping at least one gallon of water per person per day on hand can significantly improve personal safety during a severe storm.”

During a severe storm incident, be sure to heed warnings issued by the National Weather Service. A severe storm/thunderstorm watch means there is a possibility of storm activity in the area. A severe storm/thunderstorm warning means activity is occurring or will be occurring soon. Actions to protect life and property should begin immediately when a warning is issued.

Some other severe storm tips to remember:

Prior to the emergency:

• Keep enough food, water, medication (if needed) and batteries on hand in the event that power is lost during severe storms.

• Check portable radios, smoke detectors and flashlights to ensure they are properly operating and that the batteries are fresh.

• Stay tuned to local weather and news reports; if emergency officials advise residents to evacuate, do so without delay.

• Residents living in low-lying areas where flooding is anticipated, should remove furniture and valuables from those areas that are prone to water accumulation.

• If strong winds are predicted (in excess of 70 miles per hour), consider boarding up windows to prevent breakage; trash cans and other unsecured items in the yard should be taken indoors.

• Don’t drive during a severe storm, but, if you must, stay away from roads near rivers and streams and areas where flooding may occur. Never cross over a roadway that has flowing water.

During an emergency:

• Stay indoors and away from windows; if tornado or hurricane-force winds are predicted, relocate to the basement or a room that has no windows.

• If outside, seek shelter indoors immediately.

• Stay tuned to local weather and news reports for emergency information; if told to evacuate by emergency officials, do so immediately.

• If power is lost, do not use candles for lighting, use flashlights.

After the emergency:

• Do not use fresh food that has come in contact with flood waters; if refrigeration is lost due to a power outage, perishable foods such as meat and milk products may not be safe to eat and should be discarded.

• Call utility companies to report downed lines and power outages.

Severe storm information and publications are available from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) website at www.nws.noaa.gov and www.education.noaa.gov.

For more information, call 3-1-1.

NOTE: The above information was taken from a County Press Release  ID: 12-090

Severe Storms

With the tragic events in Joplin, MO yesterday and our forecast for today, I thought it a good time to provide all of you some safety tips as well as a resource for now and in the future.

When a tornado warning is issued for your area:

• Seek shelter in a windowless interior room in the lowest level of the house. Go to the basement, if you have one. Stay away from windows.

• If you are caught in the open during a tornado, stay low and go to a drainage ditch or other low point on the ground. 

• If you are in your vehicle during a tornado, get out of the vehicle and go to a drainage ditch or other low point on the ground.  Do not try to outrun a tornado.

To prepare for a severe weather event, please go here: Severe Storms

A great resource from Weather.com: Severe Weather: Track the Storms

As always, be safe and be prepared!

SUMMER STORM ALERT UPDATE FROM MONTGOMERY COUNTY

A major storm has knocked out power to more than 200,000 Pepco customers in Montgomery County and left nearly a third of the County’s traffic signals without power. A number of trees throughout the County are down, some closing roads. Pepco has indicated this will be a "multi-day restoration."

Montgomery County and the American Red Cross will open a shelter at midnight tonight at the East County Recreation Center located at 3310 Gateshead Manor Way, Silver Spring.

Mandatory water restrictions have been imposed for all Montgomery County and Prince Georges County residents on public water systems because of a power outage at the Potomac Pumping Station, which provides about two-thirds of Montgomery County’s water. Residents and businesses are urged to use water only for essential indoor uses so sufficient water will be available for hospitals, emergency services and fire fighting.

Water customers should:

• Stop all outside water use – no watering lawns, no washing cars, no topping off swimming pools
• Use water only as necessary – i.e., shorter showers and turn off faucets after washing hands  
• Limit toilet flushings (do not flush after every use)
• Limit washing machine and dishwasher use (wash full loads only)

The County has activated its 311 call center for non-emergency calls. Residents can report downed trees in the public right-of-way.

All Montgomery County Parks and Recreation programs are cancelled for tomorrow, Monday, July 26, including, classes, camps and activities.

• For emergency assistance, call 911.
• Don't travel if you don't need to. Treat all dark intersections as four-way stops. Proceed cautiously.
• Call Pepco at 1-877-737-2662 to report outages.

Ride On will operate on Monday, as will trash and recycling collections. These operations could be delayed due to traffic signal power outages.

Check www.montgomerycountymd.gov for updated information on Montgomery County facilities, services, and programs.

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