Outdoor activities are enjoyed by many throughout the world. Being outdoors can be both for employment or recreational reasons. Outdoor activities are often supervised by employers, sporting clubs and community organizations.
Where thunderstorms are a possibility, these organizations should have a policy in place to deal with the real chance of lightning strikes. Lightning has been the cause of death and injury almost more times than any other weather related incident in the US. Lightning strike catastrophes can be avoided and the risks reduced when supervising organizations and employers have written procedures in place that deal with the occurrence of thunderstorms.
Lightning striikes are not easily predicted by individuals simply observing local conditions when there are thunderstorms nearby. Myths still abound today, sadly believed by those who have been misinformed about how to determine how far away a thunderstorm cell is. Outdoor activities are too often allowed to continue because the risks of lightning strikes in the immediate area are not really known.
A lightning detector can help detect lightning and discover how far away it is. In addition, it can be learned in which direction the lightning and thunderstorm is moving in. More educated decisions can be made about outdoor events and their continuance when these detectors are in use.
Over the past few years, many lightning deaths and tragedies could have been prevented. Far too many organizers of outdoor related activities are not able to make wise decisions because they do not use lightning detection systems. Perhaps abandoning the big game or directing employees to safe locations is a major decision, but ensuring safety and having a policy in place when there is the potential for lightning strikes is very important.
Safety of the people participating in your event or under your employment is your responsibility. Spectators to your event will also have to be planned for and their safety taken into account. Do you have any responsibility for outdoor events like sports or track and field at your local schools? Possibly you manage and are responsible for outdoor construction workers. Are there children under your care and control during outside recreational activities?
When there is the possibility of lightning activity, don’t you need to be assured that you have the ability and knowledge to make the wisest decisions about your safety and those around you?
If you do organize and manage outdoor activities that involve other people, you should make sure you have a lightning and thunderstorm policy with procedures that will assure safety. As well as a plan, lightning detection devices will assist in keeping those you are responsible for, safe.
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