Community Swim Operating Status
JUNE
July 10, 2010
The Community Swim Program is
OPEN
Shocking News About Lightning and Pools
Summer is the most dangerous season for lightning deaths andinjuries. Nearly one hundred people die from lightning strikes eachyear, and hundreds are injured. If you see lightningor hear thunder, you are a potential target for alightning strike. Lightning fatalities or injuries occur most oftenwhen you are:
Near or in water - indoor and outdoor pools,including showers or plumbing.
Near or under trees and tall objects - divingboards, towers, lifeguard stands, poles, etc.
Near vehicles or buildings, instead of in them -under awnings or unenclosed buildings.
At recreational facilities and open areas -pools, ball fields, golf courses, and parks.
Near the storm, especially before the storm arrives andafter the storm has passed.
You can determine the distance between you and the lightningstrike by using the flash-to-bang rule: For each five secondsyou count between seeing the lightning flash and hearing the thunder,there is one mile between you and that lightning strike. Ifyour evacuation building is nearby and nothing obstructs the view atthe pool, a 30-second flash-to-bang time should be your bare minimumfor evacuating the pool. Pools that have obstructed views shouldevacuate anytime thunder is heard. Thunder usually becomes audiblewithin ten miles of the thunderstorm. Pools in high noise areasshould use NOAA weather radio, the Weather Channel, lightningsensors, or other means of monitoring the weather and should evacuatethe pool when storms are within ten miles (flash-to-bang of 50seconds). A developing storm may provide no advance warning beforethe first lightning strike. Reduce the risk of electrocution nearpools by following the HANDY Rule:
HANDY RULE
Hand - The five fingers ofthe hand stand for the five seconds per mile, flash-to-bang rule.There should be a well grounded, enclosed and sturdy building handyfor everyone. If not, evacuate the pool sooner. Include the extratime needed to get people out of the pool and to the building in yourevacuation plan. Wait thirty minutes from the last time thunder isheard before reopening the pool.
Awareness - Know the weatherforecast, stay informed and have a safety plan ready to enact. Ifthunderstorms are forecast, be alert for storm development and beprepared to carry out your plan.
Notify - Tell people that thepool is closed. Do not allow them to use showers, sinks or standoutside, especially under awnings and trees. The locker room may notbe safe. In fact, a wet locker room floor is an ideal conductor ofelectrical energy.
Direct patrons to safestructures or hard topped vehicles. Convertibles are not safe fromlightning.
Your own safety - The poolarea is too dangerous for everyone. Be in a safe building or vehicleand remain there until thunder is no longer heard. The pool filterroom is not safe due to the water and plumbing. Blue sky, sunshine orlack of rain is not a reason to return to the pool area.
Jun 13, 2005
Ask Mr. WeatherBlogger: pools & lightning
Mr. Weatherblogger recently (OK, a week ago - it takes time tobecome an instant expert) received this query from reader AllysonMattanah, who clearly is a fitness nut:
"Is there any danger to swimmers in an INDOOR pool during athunderstorm? My health club closes their indoor pool duringlightning, but it seems rather unnecessary. Please respond."
Frankly, it seemed kind of unnecessary to me, too. But not wantingto look dumb on the record when I can avoid it, I forwarded Allyson'squestion to David Manning, warning coordination meteorologist at theNational Weather Service's Sterling, Va. forecast office.
"You've got me on that one," Manning said. But he wentto work and found us all an answer. More specifically, he referred usto the NationalLightning Safety Institute Web page.
The bottom line: swimming pools - all swimming pools, whetherindoors or out - are connected to the rest of the world by anextensive network of pipes and wires, all of which conductelectricity. And a lightning strike somewhere nearby couldconceivably transmit a powerful jolt into the pool. Clearly, not agood place to be in a thunderstorm.
Curiously, the discussionon the National Lightning Safety Institute Websitesays there are no known reports of anyone being killed while swimmingin an indoor pool during a lightning storm. But lighting strikes havedestroyed circulation pumps and electrical boxes, and blown slidesoff their concrete footings. There are also plenty of reports ofpeople in other storts of buildings being zapped while usingtelephones and other appliances. It's easy enough to put two and twotogether and recognize there has to be some risk to indoor swimmers.
So, the sensible advice would be toclose the pool, get everyone out and wait for the storm to pass - atleast 30 minutes after the last thunder is heard.
Posted by Adminat Jun 13, 2005 11:58:01 AM
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for thisentry:
http://www.typepad.com/t/trackback/3097495
Indoor/Outdoor Swimming Pool Safety
Lightning’s behavior is random and unpredictable. We recommend a very conservative attitude towards it. Preparedness and quick responses are the best defenses towards the lightning hazard.
Swimming pools are connected to a much larger surface area viaunderground water pipes, gas lines, electric and telephone wiring,etc. Lightning strikes to the ground anywhere on this metallicnetwork may induce shocks elsewhere.
The National Lightning Safety Institute recommends thefollowing swimming pool safety procedures:
Designate a responsible person as the weather safety lookout. That person should keep an eye on the weather. Use a "weather radio" or the Weather Channel or other TV program to obtain good localized advanced weather information.
When thunder and/or lightning are first noticed, use the Flash-To-Bang (F-B) method to determine its’ rough distance and speed. This technique measures the time from seeing lightning to hearing associated thunder. For each five seconds from F-B, lightning is one mile away. Thus, a F-B of 10 = 2 miles; 15 = 3 miles; 20 = 4 miles; etc. At a F-B count of thirty, the pool should be evacuated. People should be directed to safe shelter nearby.
Pool activities should remain suspended until thirty minutes after the last thunder is heard. The distance from Strike A to Strike B to Strike C can be some 5-8 miles away. And it can strike much farther away. Why take a chance with lightning?
Indoor/Outdoor Swimming PoolSafety
Lightning’s behavior is random and unpredictable. We recommend a very conservative attitude towards it. Preparedness and quick responses are the best defenses towards the lightning hazard.
SwimmiIndoor/Outdoor Swimming Pool Safety
Lightning’s behavior is random and unpredictable. We recommend a very conservative attitude towards it. Preparedness and quick responses are the best defenses towards the lightning hazard.
Swimming pools are connected to a much larger surface area viaunderground water pipes, gas lines, electric and telephone wiring,etc. Lightning strikes to the ground anywhere on this metallicnetwork may induce shocks elsewhere.
The National Lightning Safety Institute recommends thefollowing swimming pool safety procedures:
Designate a responsible person as the weather safety lookout. That person should keep an eye on the weather. Use a "weather radio" or the Weather Channel or other TV program to obtain good localized advanced weather information.
When thunder and/or lightning are first noticed, use the Flash-To-Bang (F-B) method to determine its’ rough distance and speed. This technique measures the time from seeing lightning to hearing associated thunder. For each five seconds from F-B, lightning is one mile away. Thus, a F-B of 10 = 2 miles; 15 = 3 miles; 20 = 4 miles; etc. At a F-B count of thirty, the pool should be evacuated. People should be directed to safe shelter nearby.
Pool activities should remain suspended until thirty minutes after the last thunder is heard. The distance from Strike A to Strike B to Strike C can be some 5-8 miles away. And it can strike much farther away. Why take a chance with lightning?
ng pools are connected to a much larger surface area viaunderground water pipes, gas lines, electric and telephone wiring,etc. Lightning strikes to the ground anywhere on this metallicnetwork may induce shocks elsewhere.
The National Lightning Safety Institute recommends thefollowing swimming pool safety procedures:
Designate a responsible person as the weather safety lookout. That person should keep an eye on the weather. Use a "weather radio" or the Weather Channel or other TV program to obtain good localized advanced weather information.
When thunder and/or lightning are first noticed, use the Flash-To-Bang (F-B) method to determine its’ rough distance and speed. This technique measures the time from seeing lightning to hearing associated thunder. For each five seconds from F-B, lightning is one mile away. Thus, a F-B of 10 = 2 miles; 15 = 3 miles; 20 = 4 miles; etc. At a F-B count of thirty, the pool should be evacuated. People should be directed to safe shelter nearby.
Pool activities should remain suspended until thirty minutes after the last thunder is heard. The distance from Strike A to Strike B to Strike C can be some 5-8 miles away. And it can strike much farther away. Why take a chance with lightning?