LIGHTNING SAFETY SEMINAR
THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2009- 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Melbourne Beach will hold a lightning safety seminar on Thursday, July 16, at 2:00 p.m. Lightning safety experts will be on hand at the meeting which will be at the Melbourne Beach Community Center, 507 Ocean Avenue.
1 Lightning is a serious safety issue and Florida ranks first in lightning-related deaths in the United States. Each year, nine people on average die and 39 people are injured by lightning in Florida. Lightning is the number one weather-related killer in Florida – and the most under-rated thunderstorm threat. Hail, wind & tornados get attention, but most people do not understand that lightning causes the most deaths.
2 All thunderstorms produce lightning, and lightning can travel horizontally from thunderstorm clouds and strike as far as 10 miles away from any rainfall.
3 The most dangerous place to be during a thunderstorm is in an open area. Nearly half of all lightning deaths occur in open areas such as beaches and golf courses.
Residents and tourists alike enjoy outdoor activities here on the Central Florida Coast year-round. Our beaches are clean and beautiful, offering surfing, swimming, fishing and turtle-watching. Summer storms cool us from the afternoon heat and offer spectacular lightning shows, but can be deadly to those who do not know the ‘30/30 Rule’.
4 Florida Emergency Management officials encourage families and businesses to incorporate the “30/30 Rule” when conducting outdoor activities. This two-part rule states that people should first seek immediate shelter once the time between a lightning flash and thunder is 30 seconds or less.
The second part of this rule states that people should remain in a safe shelter for 30 minutes following the final clap of thunder.
Live to love our beaches. Seek shelter from the storms.
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