Welcome back, listeners.0:02
You're listening to Wilderness Survival Corner.0:05
Today we're talking about surviving a lightning storm.0:08
With us is Professor Andy Blank from the National Lightning Safety Institute.0:12
It's great to be here.0:17
I'd like to begin by giving our listeners some alarming statistics.0:19
Did you know that according to the National Weather Service, there are 25 million lightning flashes every year in America?0:23
Each year lightning kills about 58 people and injures about 300 in the United States alone.0:30
It's important to learn and understand lightning safety.0:40
What advice have you got for our listeners, Andy?0:44
Well, you need to be able to tell how close the lightning is.0:46
The best way to do this is from the sound of thunder.0:50
If you can't count more than 30 seconds between seeing lightning and the sound of thunder that follows, you're in danger.0:53
This means that the lightning is less than 8 kilometers away.1:00
Hikers need to know that no place outside is safe when there is lightning in the area, so finding a closed shelter to sit out the storm is very important.1:03
If there is no shelter nearby, the second best thing to do is find protection in a car with the windows rolled up.1:13
Okay, but what can you do if you are actually caught in the middle of a lightning storm?1:19
Rule number 1: Do not panic.1:24
Then make sure you get away from places like open fields or mountaintops and never use a tree as shelter.1:27
Safe buildings are houses, schools, office buildings, and shopping centres, for example.1:35
Once inside a building, you should not have contact with electrical appliances or even telephones.1:40
When people have nowhere to go, the first thing they often do is lie down flat on the ground.1:45
When lightning strikes the earth, it produces electrical currents in the ground that can be deadly up to 30 meters away.1:53
It's better to be as low as possible, but not flat on the ground.2:00
You should bend down low on your feet and also remember to protect your hearing by covering your ears to block out the thunder.2:04
So, listeners, let's not take any risks.2:11
Keep an eye on the weather forecast before going on a hike.2:14
And remember to get to a shelter before the weather becomes dangerous.2:18
If you do get caught in a storm, run as quickly as you can to a safe shelter, but don't use a telephone to call for help.2:22
Well, Andy, thanks for joining us today.2:31
It was very informative.2:33
Клик по слову — перевод и «+ в мои слова» (в любом режиме). Клик по строке или таймкоду — перейти к этому месту записи.