What do you do if you are struck by lightning?

Call 911 immediately if someone has been struck by lightning. Next, see if it is safe to touch the person. Move him or her to a safer area if there is a continued danger from lightning strikes. If the person is not breathing or has no pulse, start cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and continue until help arrives.

What to do if a lightning hits you?

When someone is struck by lightning, get emergency medical help as soon as possible. If more than one person is struck by lightning, treat those who are unconscious first. They are at greatest risk of dying. A person struck by lightning may appear dead, with no pulse or breath.

How do you treat a person struck by lightning?

What happens if I am struck by lightning?

Of every 10 people struck, nine will survive. But they could suffer a variety of short- and long-term effects: cardiac arrest, confusion, seizures, dizziness, muscle aches, deafness, headaches, memory deficits, distractibility, personality changes and chronic pain, among others.

Can you survive a lightning struck?

The heat produced when lightning moves over the skin can produce burns, but the current moving through the body is of greatest concern. While the ability to survive any lightning strike is related to immediate medical attention, the amount of current moving through the body is also a factor.

How to Survive a Lightning Strike

Is being struck by lightning painful?

The overwhelming majority of consequences of being struck by lightning are painful and debilitating, and could stay with you for the rest of your life.

How likely is it to survive a lightning strike?

About 40 million lightning strikes hit the ground in the United States each year. But the odds of being struck by lightning in a given year are less than one in a million, and almost 90% of all lightning strike victims survive.

Has anyone survived a direct lightning strike?

The majority of people struck in the U.S. survive but can have health problems. Josiah Wiedman miraculously survived being struck by lightning, thanks in part to a bystander who performed CPR until paramedics arrived.

What are the odds of surviving a lightning strike?

Only about 10% of people who are struck by lightning are killed, leaving 90% with various degrees of disability.

What is the 30 30 Rule of lightning?

Don't forget the 30-30 rule. After you see lightning, start counting to 30. If you hear thunder before you reach 30, go indoors. Suspend activities for at least 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder.

How do I know if I was struck by lightning?

Would you know if you got struck by lightning?

Just before lightning actually strikes, static energy is going to fill the air. If you look at your arms, you may see the hair on your arms standing on end. You may also feel a physical tingling sensation throughout your body, especially in your extremities.

Where does lightning strike the most?

The most lightning-struck location in the world

Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela is the place on Earth that receives the most lightning strikes. Massive thunderstorms occur on 140-160 nights per year with an average of 28 lightning strikes per minute lasting up to 10 hours at a time.

Can you survive a lightning strike in a car?

Myth: Rubber tires on a car protect you from lightning by insulating you from the ground. Fact: Most cars are safe from lightning, but it is the metal roof and metal sides that protect you, NOT the rubber tires.

Who has been struck by lightning the most?

Roy Cleveland Sullivan (February 7, 1912 – September 28, 1983) was a United States park ranger in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. Between 1942 and 1977, Sullivan was claimed to have been hit by lightning on seven occasions, surviving all of them.

Can fish get struck by lightning?

If a fish surfaces at the wrong moment, it can certainly be hit by lightning. Luckily, most fish spend the majority of their time underwater. People don't, however, which is why you should immediately get out of the water if a storm is approaching.

Can lightning give you superpowers?

A variety of or a random power can be bestowed to the victim. The lightning strike may cause maximum enhancements of a normal human being. The lightning can be used to activate or deactivate inherent abilities. The lightning may also remove or prevent the abilities of a person.

Can being struck by lightning change your eye color?

LOUISVILLE, Ky (WDRB) -- A Haleyville, Alabama teen says a lightning strike corrected her vision and changed the color of her eyes. Faith Mobley, 16, was struck by lightning on Wednesday while she was working at McDonald's.

What does a person look like after being struck by lightning?

As the lightning moves toward the surface of the body, it can force red blood cells out of your capillaries, into your epidermis like a bruise. These lightning strike scars are the earlier mentioned Lichtenberg figures. The insane temperatures can also heat up any metal you're wearing, causing third-degree burns.

Do birds get hit by lightning?

Lightning also strikes birds. An observer once saw a bolt of lightning strike a large flock of migrating snow geese, dropping more than 50 of the birds. Bald eagles have been struck while sitting on their nests, and John James Audubon described two common nighthawks blown from the sky by a lightning bolt.

Do most people survive being hit by lightning?

On average, nine of out of 10 people who are struck by lightning survive. Meteorologist Andrew Stutzke explains why. MOLINE, Ill. — An average of 41 people in the U.S. are struck by lightning every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Can I pee during a thunderstorm?

A toilet is probably as safe a place as any in a lightning storm, if you're not touching metal. Porcelain is a great insulator. In a lightning storm, don't stand in the shower clutching onto the shower head. Don't sit in a bathtub while in contact with the metal drain cap or faucet.

Which places are not safe during a thunderstorm?

During a thunderstorm, avoid open vehicles such as convertibles, motorcycles, and golf carts. Be sure to avoid open structures such as porches, gazebos, baseball dugouts, and sports arenas. And stay away from open spaces such as golf courses, parks, playgrounds, ponds, lakes, swimming pools, and beaches.

What lightning smells like?

“It smelled like something inorganic burning, like wires or plastic.” Others have compared the odor to chlorine, cleaning supplies or, unsurprisingly, electrical sparks. Odds are, you've smelled lightning-produced ozone before. You know that clean, crisp smell ahead of a springtime rain? That's it.