MOUNT VERNON — Even from 60 feet away, Brian Bridges’ hair stood on end.
Lightning strikes will do that.
June 22-28 is National Lightning Safety Awareness Week, but Bridges, a local golf pro, doesn’t have to be reminded about the dangers posed by lightning, particularly considering his close call two summers ago.
“I was standing about 60 feet from the the No. 1 tee gathering golf carts before a storm. The lightning came out of nowhere. It shattered a tree, and later we found pieces of bark 150 feet away,” said Bridges, who has been the golf pro at Chapel Hill Golf Course in Mount Vernon for four years.
No one was hurt when the lightning struck, but Bridges’ experience underscores the need for caution when stormy weather sets in.
“The summer months are when lightning is the most common,” said Marie Blubaugh, director of the Knox County Emergency Management Agency. “Lightning can strike at any time of year, but May through September are the peak months.”
Blubaugh said it’s important to stay safe by taking shelter during a storm.
“People should not stand beneath trees, and they should use their radios and televisions to track reports of storm systems,” she said.
Golfers swinging metal clubs aren’t the only ones who need to be cautious.
“Anyone participating in an outdoor activity needs to keep an eye out,” said Brian Hess, the EMA’s deputy director. “Lightning can strike before it starts raining, so people need to keep their wits about them.”
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 45 people in the United States were killed by lightning in 2007. This year there have been eight reported deaths, one of which occured in Ohio.
Here are a few lightning safety tips from the NOAA:
•If you are in the woods, take shelter under smaller trees.
•If you are boating or swimming, get to land and find immediate shelter.
•If you cannot find indoor shelter, find a low-lying open place away from trees, poles or metal objects. Make sure the place you pick is not vulnerable to flooding.
•Be a small target. Do not lie flat on the ground: Squat low to the ground by putting your head to your knees and placing your hands behind your head or on your knees.
•People who are struck by lightning carry no electrical charge, which means touching them carries no risk of electrical shock.
Blubaugh said she doesn’t think anyone in Knox County has ever been killed by lightning. Property damage is fairly common, but there is only a 1 in 400,000 chance that you’ll be struck by lightning this year.
Those odds get a lot worse, however, when swimming outdoors or golfing the back nine.
“No one at this course has ever been seriously injured. Knock on wood,” Bridges said.
More information about lighting safety is available on the NOAA Web site at http://lightningsafety.noaa.gov.
