National Weather Service – Lubbock, Texas – 2013-5
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 25, 2013
Contact:
Jody James, NWS
(806) 745-3916 x 223
Jody James@noaa.gov
News Release
Lightning Safety Awareness Week is June 23 – 29, 2013
The National Weather Service (NWS) has designated June 23-29, 2013 as Lightning Awareness Week. This is an annual safety campaign designed to promote lightning awareness and safety. Each year, the National Weather Service, local Emergency Management Coordinators, and other local officials join together to recognize Lightning Safety Awareness Week. The NWS this week will be promoting lightning safety via the NWS Lightning Safety Website – http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/, and a social media campaign. The NWS Lubbock office is also distributing lightning safety information via Twitter and Facebook. A link to a recent study – Detailed Analysis of Recent Lightning Deaths in the United States – is listed below.
NOAA’s National Weather Service has discovered that 64 percent of lightning deaths since 2006 occurred while people were participating in leisure activities, with fishing topping the list at 26 deaths. John Jensenius, a lightning safety specialist with the National Weather Service, conducted the study by examining demographic information for 238 deaths attributed to lightning over the last seven years. NOAA released these findings on the first day of National Lightning Safety Awareness Week to call attention to the danger of outdoor activities during a thunderstorm.
Of the 152 deaths associated with leisure activities, fishing is followed by camping (15 deaths), boating (14 deaths), soccer (12 deaths) and golf (8 deaths). The remaining 77 people were struck by lightning while participating in a number of other leisure activities like enjoying the beach, swimming, walking and running, riding recreational vehicles, and picnicking or relaxing in their yard.
We urge all West Texas residents and visitors to learn about this dangerous weather hazard and the safety rules that can save your life or help prevent serious injury from lightning during any strong or severe thunderstorm. Businesses and community governments should review their emergency action preparedness plans. We also urge you to train staff and employees in severe weather procedures. Emergency managers may wish to work with their media partners to promote specialized local awareness campaigns.
On the Web:
NWS Lightning Safety Web Site
http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/
Detailed Analysis of Recent Lightning Deaths in the United States
http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/resources/RecentLightningDeaths.pdf
Lighting Safety Tips
http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/tips.htm
Lightning Safety Awareness Toolkit (for local counties)
http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/toolkits/toolkit.htm
Lightning Safety Toolkit for Large Venues
http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/resources/large_venue.pdf
Detailed safety information about preparing for and dealing with severe thunderstorms, tornadoes and other weather-related disasters:
http://www.weather.gov/safety.php
Nationwide information from the NOAA’s National Weather Service:
http://www.weather.gov
Also, please visit the National Weather Service – Lubbock, Texas, online at:
www.weather.gov/lubbock
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