Lightning Safety Awareness Week
ZANESVILLE, Ohio – Lightning is the leading cause of weather related injuries and deaths in the United States.
Muskingum County Emergency Management Agency Director Jeff Jadwin discussed safety measures and precautions that people can take to minimize their chances of getting struck.
“We just recently had a fatality here in Muskingum County from a lightning strike. So it’s very unfortunate, you know,” Jadwin said. “We’ve had other fatalities in the past, out in that area of the county. The National Weather Service is going to be doing a program for the fire department’s out in that area.”
Approximately 25 million lightning flashes occur across America each year, which cause around 20 deaths and hundreds of serious injuries. Jadwin noted that lightning often accompanies severe storms, which beckons the slogan, ‘When thunder roars, go indoors.’
“You need to get the weather alerts to know that bad weather is coming. So whether it’s the Reverse 9-1-1 through Muskingum County, it’s the WHIZ Weather App or any of the other apps that are available to you, sign up and get the weather alerts,” Jadwin said.
June 21st through the 27th is Lightning Safety Awareness Week and you can learn more about lightning safety by visiting the National Weather Service, the Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness, or the National Lightning Safety Council’s websites.
