Plan & Prepare

Lightning

Lightning strikes have massive electrical charges averaging 30 million volts, with a temperature hotter than the surface of our sun. Thunder is the sound of the resulting shock wave generated from the rapid expansion of supercharged air surrounding the path of the lightning bolt.

Lightning strikes can be deadly, and the best treatment for lightning strikes is prevention. Awareness of high-risk land features, situations, and safest locations can minimize your chance of getting injured from a lightning strike.

Symptoms and Description

Luckily, lightning strikes happen extremely quickly, and the short amount of time the current is applied to the body helps limit the amount of injury. There are several ways lightning can hurt you. Lightning can:

Strike directly
Harm through a concussive blast from exploding air
Cause injury through side splash (where the lightning jumps from a nearby object)
Cause injury through ground current (where the ground conducts the electrical charge to you)

The electrical energy from lighting can travel through all the body’s tissues, affecting different organs. These injuries can include fatal heart rhythms and loss of heartbeat, seizures, paralysis of the breathing center, bleeding in the brain, amnesia, temporary paralysis, skin burns, dislocations or fractures, cold pulseless extremities, muscle aches, and deafness.

Lightning victims do not retain an electrical charge, and touching them is not hazardous to a rescuer.

The victim of a lightning strike may have no breathing, no pulse, and may appear dead. However, the rescuer should immediately perform CPR because the massive amount of energy from a lightning strike may short circuit the breathing center of the brain and the normal beating rhythm of the heart.

While the heart can usually restart and spontaneously regain a healthy rhythm, the lungs do not have this same ability. Unfortunately, the lack of oxygen from no breathing will eventually cause the heart to stop beating and the victim will die unless oxygen can be delivered through CPR. CPR with rescue breaths will allow oxygen to feed the brain until the breathing center of the brain restarts the paralyzed respiratory drive.

Frequent pulse checks during CPR may reveal a heartbeat that has regained a healthy rhythm; however, the lightning victim may need continued assistance with rescue breaths for five or ten minutes until the stunned respiratory center of the brain gets back on-line.

Treatment Options

Don’t be afraid to touch the victim of a lightning strike. They do not retain any electrical charge.
If the victim doesn’t appear to be breathing or doesn’t have a pule. Perform CPR immediately.
Frequently check for a pulse during CPR. Even if a heartbeat returns, the victim may need continued assistance with rescue breaths for five or ten minutes.
Evacuate to a hospital.

Symptoms

Burns to the skin
Deafness
Abdominal or chest pain
Shortness of breath
Amnesia, paralysis, confusion, or altered level or responsiveness
Pain in an extremity
Cardiopulmonary arrest

Defining Your Risk Category

Situational awareness is your first defense to avoid a lightning strike. Be aware of weather patterns and exposed areas to minimize risk.

Storm clouds and hot weather conditions all increase the risk of lightning. Weather is usually hotter in the afternoons.

Lightning can travel horizontally up to 10 miles, which means that there is still a risk of lightning well before a storm arrives or rain begins.

Remember the 30-30 rule of lightning. If you see lightning, count seconds, and if you hear thunder before 30 seconds is up, you should seek shelter. Wait at least 30 minutes after the last thunderclap or lightning strike before resuming activities.

If you see lightning or hear thunder, you do not want to be the tallest object in an area, but you also do not want to be near the tallest object. Avoid standing near an isolated tall tree or on a ridgeline or hilltop. Avoid metal structures or objects and get out of the water.

If you are in a group, try to spread out at least 20 feet apart (while still keeping in sight). This can reduce the risk of a single lightning strike hitting multiple victims at once.

Lower risk

Metal vehicle with closable doors
Cave that is deeper than it is tall
Deep ravine
Forest with thick tree growth

Moderate risk

Darkening skies
Increasing winds
Increasing big clouds
Hot weather

High risk

Visible lightning or sound of thunder
Open vehicle like a golf cart or convertible
Tent or lean to
Shallow cave that is taller than deep
Exposed ridgelines or peaks
Open fields
Swimming or standing in water
Isolated tall trees

Guidelines for Safe Travel if Thunder and Lightning

If you can hear thunder, there is an increased risk of lightning. Avoid high risk features and immediately seek shelter.
Avoid or leave high risk areas such as: ridgelines, summits, water, or isolated tall trees or small structures like sheds.
Try to avoid peaks and ridgelines in the afternoons, as thunderstorms are more frequent during this time period.
For shelter, seek out a dense forest, a deep ravine, or a cave that is deeper than it is tall.
If in a group, spread out more than 20 feet between individuals while maintaining visual contact.
Wait a minimum of 30 minutes after last thunder or lightning before resuming outdoor activity.

Prevention if caught out in thunder and lightning

If thunder and lighting, leave high risk features and seek a safe area.
Crouch on insulative materials like sleeping pad or backpack if available. Put on rain gear, take off metal objects.
Crouch down with hands over your ears.

Have you or a companion been struck by lightning?

If yes, launch medical assessment below.

Emergency Red Flags

Keep an eye out for the following symptoms. These red flags may be cause for evacuation.

Anyone with a burn or new injury following a lightning strike