PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
600 AM CDT WED JUN 24 2015

...LIGHTNING SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK...

The National Weather Service has declared the week of June
21st through the 27th as LIGHTNING SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK. This
is the third of five public information statements to be issued
by the National Weather Service office in Little Rock
containing details about lightning.

Today`s topic is LIGHTNING SAFETY AND SPORTS ACTIVITIES.

Whether you are out kicking a ball, or at a major sports event,
you should be prepared to go to a safe place when thunderstorms
are near. Nationwide, 29 people participating in sports activities
(golf, soccer, running, baseball, football) were killed by lightning
from 2006 to 2013. In many cases, those involved in the activities
failed to realize the developing danger.

For anyone outside, you are already in danger if thunder is heard.
Officials in charge of organized sports should have a lightning
safety plan, and those involved in the sport should understand
the plan and know what to do.

The plan should include the following:

- where participants and spectators go for safety
- when the event should be stopped
- when the event should be resumed
- who is in charge of making weather-related safety decisions

It is also important to designate a person to watch the sky
and keep those in charge informed of changing weather
conditions.

For stadiums and larger venues, the National Weather Service has
toolkits which provide templates to help design a safety plan.
Those toolkits can be found at:

WWW.LIGHTNINGSAFETY.NOAA.GOV/LARGE_VENUES.SHTML

Remember that there is no safe place outside in a thunderstorm.
When thunder roars, go indoors!

Question: Is golf the most dangerous sports activity with respect
to lightning?

Answer: From 2006 to 2013, soccer contributed to more
sports-related lightning fatalities than golf. During
that time, there were 12 soccer fatalities, 8 for golf,
5 for running, 3 for baseball, and 1 for football.

Here`s a list of topics for other days this week:

THURSDAY  Lightning Safety at Work
FRIDAY - Lightning Safety Around the Home


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