Currently we are in prime thunderstorm season. A thunderstorm is just as likely these days as the ever present humidity. Even though thunderstorms are prevalent during the summer months and the media coverage of safety techniques and horror stories are told, individuals still place convenience over their safety.

According to an article written by JoNel Aleccia from msnbc.com, lightning safety is an inconvenience. Deadly Bolts: Lightning Survivors Stress Safety reads,

“The trouble is that too few people take thunder and lightning seriously… They play one more hole of golf, or go for a hike or a run despite a gathering storm. They’ll dash across a parking lot in an cloudburst or linger in a boat on a lake a little too long.”

I’ll be the first one to tell you that prior to the loss of my best friend from a lightning strike, I didn’t give the severity of lightning a thought. I’d watch thunderstorms from an inch away of the glass windows. I’d run from a building through the down pouring rain and thunder to reach my dry car. My younger brother even once jokingly took a shower (in his boxer briefs) during a storm while running and doing cartwheels around our front yard.

The truth is prior to becoming a victim or the family/friend of a victim, you do not place the safety before the convenience. It is a constant balancing act that requires patience and time. Yes, it is more convenient to run through the parking lot to your car during a storm but at what risk? Chronic pain? Hypersensitivity? Memory lapses? Brain damage? Death?

As the prime season of thunderstorms continue become a member of the safety over convenience group without having to suffer a victimizing event.

Today marks the three year anniversary of the death of Lee Weisbrod and Steve Fagan. They continue to be missed; however, they live on through memories and stories. Throughout the three years, I have been contacted by numerous people – acquaintances, friends, and complete strangers – who either knew the boys, briefly met the boys, or know someone that has been through a similar experience as the boys.

This morning, just like every morning in this technological world, I checked my email first thing to find a message waiting in my inbox informing me of an online community on Facebook. This community is for Emily Crikelair, a 19-year-old girl who was struck by lightning outside of her home in Pennsylvania.

The strike placed Emily in Chester Crozer Medical Center unconscious with her heart not beating. Now more than 9 months after the initial strike, Emily is still undergoing therapy sessions and her healing process is on the up.

The story of Emily Crikelair is nothing short of amazing. Please show your support by joining the Facebook group – Pray for Emily.

RIP LEE WEISBROD
07.06.87 – 07.22.06

RIP STEVE FAGAN
12.08.87 – 07.22.06

Tomorrow is my birthday. Since it is summer, I figured a nice night under the stars having a beer or two with a fire and good friends would be the perfect way to celebrate. However, The Weather Channel has a different plan for me. With thunderstorms predicted from 9 pm on, it looks like my ideal situation is a ‘no-go.’

On a good note, I did find some amazing pictures featured on The Weather Channel website. The slideshow is entitled ‘Mother Nature’s Fireworks’ and what you see is just that.

Take a look at these amazing images here: http://www.weather.com/activities/homeandgarden/holidays/slideshow/lightning.html?from=pif_locallinker_undeclared

While it is thundering and lightning in Northern New Jersey, I was informed of an interesting story that occurred in Oregon two days ago.

Austin Melton, a 14-year-old, was struck by lightning while attempting to get a closer look of a thunderstorm that knocked out the lights at a basketball game he was attending at La Pine High School.

Within mintues, the 8th grader was struck and unconscious.

To read/hear his story, please visit The Oregonian’s article at http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/06/whats_the_worse_that_could_hap.html.

Yesterdays surprising disappearance of Air France Flight 447 has led to many speculations regarding the actual cause for the vanishing act.

Perhaps the most interesting speculation to me is that lightning was the culprit. It should be no surprise that airplanes get struck by lightning often. However, the last time an airplane was struck down by lightning was 42 years ago.

Miles O’Brien, a pilot and journalist, has released an article entitled ‘What Happened to Flight447?’ for Reuters. This thorough piece explains O’Brien’s belief that the plane was indeed struck by lightning.

He writes,

“It is quite likely the airplane was struck by lightning. That could have triggered a fuel fire – but that is highly unlikely. In fact, it has been 42 years since lightning alone caused an airliner crash in the US. A lot of time and effort is spent protecting airplanes from the clear and present danger.

And since Airbus builds so called fly-by-wire aircraft (meaning the controls in the cockpit are linked to the movable surfaces on the airplane by electrical wires and computers), engineers in Toulouse have gone out of their way to demonstrate their products are safe in stormy weather. There are four fully redundant electrical systems on an Airbus – and if the worst happens a manual flight control system that allows the crew to manipulate the rudder and the fine aero-surface controls called trim tabs.

Interestingly, one of the systems most vulnerable to lightning strikes is the on-board weather radar located in the nose cone. It cannot do its job if it is shielded from lightning like the rest of the airplane – and so it is more likely to go down when lightning strikes (which is of course when you need it most).

So it is possible this plane was hit by lightning, knocking out the radar. The crew was suddenly preoccupied with an electrical failure, in the dark, over the ocean and without weather radar as they hurtled toward some epic cumulus nimbus thunderheads. Most Captains prefer to be on the flight deck for take-off and landing. Was the most seasoned aviator in his bunk when all this transpired?”

Unfortunately, nothing is for certain; however, O’Brien is very convincing with his lightning theory.

Summer means more than no school, the beach, and BBQs. Summer is also the height of thunderstorm season. Protecting yourself could be a challenge; however, personal lightning detectors are on the market and perhaps worth the investment.

StrikeAlert, by Outdoors Technologies, created a small lightning detector that provides early warning of approaching lightning strikes from as far away as 40 miles. The device also lets you know which way the storm is moving.

The easy-to-use device has an audible alarm go off when a strike and an LED light on the device indicates lightning distances of 20-40 miles, 12-24 miles, 6-12 miles and within 6 miles.

It runs on AAA batteries and is perfect to ensure your safety and the safety of your loved ones during outdoor activities this summer.

For more information, please visit http://www.strikealert.com/ProductInfo.htm.

The rest of the East Coast is shoveling, making snowmen, and drinking hot chocolate while I’m thinking about lightning in my warm cozy apartment.

While surfing the web, I stumbled across an interesting finding. According to the National Lightning Safety Institute (NLSI), men are at least four times as likely to be struck by lightning as women. The breakdown of strikes is approximately 84% male and 16% female.

A specific reason is not stated; however, it is believed that men are struck more than women because they tend to be outdoors during the summer months more frequently whether doing work in the yard, golfing, fishing, or farming.

The NLSI also notes that “85% of lightning victims are children and young men (ages 10-35) engaged in recreation or work-related activities.”

Australia is  experiencing the deadliest wildfires in their history with the current death toll at 134 people. While the Australian wildfires have a few causes,  lightning is one element directly related to the fire’s spread.

The Associated Press reports that, “Wildfires are common during the Australian summer. Government research shows about half of the roughly 60,000 fires each year are deliberately lit or suspicious. Lightning and people using machinery near dry brush are other causes.”

My prayers go out to those affected by the wildfires both in Australia and back here in the States. God bless.

Stumbling upon Facebook, I found Andrea Cummins. A thirty-one year old living in Cork, Ireland who loves lightning despite being struck twice in her life. Below is a quick Q&A between myself and Andrea.

Q: When were you struck by lightning and how old were you?
A: I’ve been hit twice, indirectly both times. The first time I was about 6. The second time was about 5 or 6 years back.

Q: What were you doing when you were struck by lightning?
A: The first time, there was no clouds, no rain, just lightning. I was on my bike when lightning hit right between the handlebars. The second time – My dad was on his way home from work and I was getting lunch ready for him. I was watching the lightning out the window as I was filling the kettle. Just as I turned on the tap, a bolt of lightning hit really close. It hit the water mains and threw me back a few feet. I ended up on my butt near the living room door.

Q: Was a storm broadcast for that day/evening/night?
A: There wasn’t a storm broadcast the first time. The storm was forecast for the late afternoon but decided to start early, the second time I was struck.

Q: Do you remember feeling anything that you can recall?
A: When I was struck on my bike, my arms felt like I had pins and needles and then started to get very hot. Used to get sharp pains in them for months afterward. When I struck in the kitchen, I felt the pins and needles again and my arm got really hot and started to burn. For days it looked like I had major sunburn on my right arm.

Q: If you had to pick one memorable occurrence of that day what would it be?
A: The most memorable thing from that time was sitting on the bike and watching the tires soften on the bike and seeing the handlebars turn black.
Q: Were you fearful of lightning prior to strike? Are you fearful of it now?
A: I wasn’t afraid of lightning before that and I love it still.

Q: People often underestimate lightning and do things that compromise their safety or the safety of others. What would you say to these people?
A: To those people who compromise their safety, I’d say, lightning is not something to be taken lightly, it’s very dangerous and can seriously injure and kill. Then again, I can’t really preach as when there is a storm, I’ll still go outside to watch it. Though I do have a healthy respect for it.

Are you a lightning strike survivor? If so, contact me to tell your story.

My best friend, Lee, who was struck and killed by lightning in July 2006, had a tendency to wear a thick silver chain around his neck at all times. The night of Lee’s passing he was wearing his silver chain while playing soccer when the lightning storm began.

Did Lee’s silver chain add to his chances of getting struck by lightning?

According to The Storm Highway Weather Library, small metal objects do not attract lightning.

It is a myth that wearing jewelry, metal cleats, and carrying metal objects, such as umbrellas, iPods, and golf clubs makes a person more susceptible to lightning strikes.

However, if a person is struck via a direct hit or a hit via a lightning jump, the metal in electronic devices (iPods, cameras, cellphones, etc), jewelry,  or even change in his/her pocket allows the lightning to flow through the body causing contact burns and strengthens the damage to the individual.

Bottom Line: No, it’s not safe to be outside with metal objects during a lightning storm; however, the metal objects are the least of your worries… it’s the lightning you have to fear.