[20070614: safety awareness week-Fwd: ADMIN NOTICE NOUS41 KWBC]

[Linda Miller]

-------- Original Message --------

314 
NOUS41 KWBC 141739
PNSWSH

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
138 PM EDT THU JUN 14 2007

TO:  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


$$



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