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Lightning Protection Systems What is Lightning? Lightning Protection Systems How do Lightning Systems Work? Damaged, Unsafe Lightning Systems Lightning Protection Certification Outdoor Lightning Protection Design Lightning Protection for Trees Hidden Lightning Protection Design Lightning Strike Risk Assessment How to Avoid Being Struck by Lightning Lightning Strikes Small Boat More Information InspectAPedia TM Home & Site Map Air Conditioning InspectAPedia Bookstore Electrical Environment Exteriors Heating Home Inspection Insulate Ventilate Interiors Mold Inspect/Test Plumbing Water Septic Roofing Structure Accuracy & Bias Pledge Contact Us |
This article summarizes the basic risks of lighting strikes or being struck by lightning and cites opinions on what to do to reduce the chances of personal injury by lightning during a storm. This website describes common lightning protection systems, certification, installation, and lightning protection system inspection. We provide information about lightning strikes, lightning hazards, related equipment, sources of lightning protection system installers, and lightning strike risk assessment © Copyright 2008 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Lightning Strike Risk AssessmentLightning strikes are the most dangerous, and most often observed weather hazard people see. (Floods kill more people in the U.S. each year than lightning.) Since about 1977, about 73 people a year have died in the U.S. due to lightning strikes. It may surprise some readers however to learn that while you're not so likely to die (10% of people hit by lightning die), you are likely to have long term neurological damage including brain functions such as short term memory loss and handling of new incoming information. Other long term complaints include headaches, dizziness, numbness, pain, fatigue, irritability, and similar behavior changes. "The magnitude of the cloud-to-ground lightning hazard is understood better today than had been the case due in large part to data collected by the U.S. National Lightning Detection Network TM (NLDN) described by Holle and Lopez (1994) and Cummins et al. (1998). From 1992 to 1995, the NLDN identified an average of 21,746,000 cloud-to-ground flashes per year (Orville and Silver 1997). Lightning occurs in the U.S. every day in summer, and nearly every day during the rest of the year. At any time there are about 1800 active lightning storms on earth, and in the U.S. where lightning strikes are monitored, about 25,000,000 lightning groundstrokes are recorded annually. Since lightning strikes the ground in such large numbers and is so widespread, it is not possible to warn each person for every flash. For this reason, lightning can be considered the most dangerous weather hazard that many people encounter each year. Lightning-specific warnings have proven effective in some unique applications, such as at the Kennedy Space Center and during major golf tournaments." "Although the scientific understanding of lightning has advanced significantly in the last few decades (Krider 1996), a consistent match between basic science and applications to safety had not been made. For example, NOAA (1992) said to squat on the balls of your feet and minimize contact with the ground, while NOAA (1985) recommended dropping to the knees during the lightning threat, and NOAA (1970) suggested dropping to the ground. Concerning when to reach a safe location, NOAA (1992) recommended going to a safe location at the first sound of thunder, NOAA (1985) was not specific about when to go to a safe place, and NOAA (1970) made no mention of this decision process. Similar variations can be found in these and many other publications regarding additional issues such as medical and first aid approaches to lightning victims." -- Quotation - see Holle/Lopez. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website. |
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Lightning Protection Systems What is Lightning? Lightning Protection Systems How do Lightning Systems Work? Damaged, Unsafe Lightning Systems Lightning Protection Certification Outdoor Lightning Protection Design Lightning Protection for Trees Hidden Lightning Protection Design Lightning Strike Risk Assessment How to Avoid Being Struck by Lightning Lightning Strikes Small Boat More Information InspectAPedia TM Home & Site Map Air Conditioning InspectAPedia Bookstore Electrical Environment Exteriors Heating Home Inspection Insulate Ventilate Interiors Mold Inspect/Test Plumbing Water Septic Roofing Structure Accuracy & Bias Pledge InspectAPedia TM Home & Site Map Contact Us |
Technical ReviewersParticular thanks are due to experts and also consumers who read these articles and suggest corrections, changes, and additions to the material. Content suggestions, technical corrections and content critique are invited for any of the content at our website.
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Lightning Protection Systems What is Lightning? Lightning Protection Systems How do Lightning Systems Work? Damaged, Unsafe Lightning Systems Lightning Protection Certification Outdoor Lightning Protection Design Lightning Protection for Trees Hidden Lightning Protection Design Lightning Strike Risk Assessment How to Avoid Being Struck by Lightning Lightning Strikes Small Boat More Information InspectAPedia TM Home & Site Map Air Conditioning InspectAPedia Bookstore Electrical Environment Exteriors Heating Home Inspection Insulate Ventilate Interiors Mold Inspect/Test Plumbing Water Septic Roofing Structure Accuracy & Bias Pledge InspectAPedia TM Home & Site Map Contact Us |
More Information on Lightning Protection Systems & Building Inspections, Diagnosis, & Repair
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06/06/2007 - 12/06/95 -- www.inspect-ny.com/lightning/lightning8.htm -- © Copyright 2008 - 1999 Daniel Friedman All Rights Reserved page design & contents -
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