Field Day

Also, local NWS Forecast offices are issuing statements on lightning safety. Below are the last 4 statements issued by NWS Taunton for lightning safety awareness week:NOUS41 KBOX 231348
PNSBOX

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
945 AM EDT MON JUN 23 2003

…NATIONAL LIGHTNING SAFETY PREPAREDNESS WEEK…
…PART ONE – LIGHTNING SAFETY OUTDOORS…

EACH YEAR ABOUT 400 CHILDREN AND ADULTS IN THE UNITED STATES ARE
STRUCK BY LIGHTNING WHILE WORKING OUTSIDE…AT SPORTS EVENTS…ON
THE BEACH…MOUNTAIN CLIMBING…MOWING THE LAWN…OR DURING OTHER
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. ABOUT 80 PEOPLE ARE KILLED AND SEVERAL HUNDRED
MORE ARE LEFT TO COPE WITH PERMANENT DISABILITIES. MANY OF THESE
TRAGEDIES CAN BE AVOIDED. FINISHING THE GAME…GETTING A TAN…OR
COMPLETING A WORK SHIFT ARE NOT WORTH DEATH OR CRIPPLING INJURY.

LIGHTNING OFTEN STRIKES AS MUCH AS 10 MILES AWAY FROM ANY RAINFALL.
THERE HAS EVEN BEEN A DOCUMENTED CASE OF LIGHTNING STRIKING 34 MILES
AWAY FROM THE RAIN IN THE THUNDERSTORM. AT LEAST 10 PERCENT OF
LIGHTNING OCCURS WITHOUT ANY VISIBLE CLOUDS IN THE SKY…JUST BLUE
SKY. MANY OF THE LIGHTNING FATALITIES OCCUR AHEAD OF THE STORM
BECAUSE PEOPLE TRY AND WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE BEFORE SEEKING
SHELTER. YOU ARE IN DANGER IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER…THAT MEANS
THAT LIGHTNING IS CLOSE ENOUGH THAT IT COULD STRIKE YOUR LOCATION AT
ANY MOMENT.

ON AVERAGE 20 PERCENT OF LIGHTNING STRIKE VICTIMS DIE…80 PERCENT
SURVIVE BUT 70 PERCENT OF THEM SUFFER SERIOUS LONG-TERM EFFECTS.

HERE ARE SOME SAFETY RULES…MORE DETAILED INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE
ON THE WEB AT WWW.LIGHTNINGSAFETY.NOAA.GOV

1. POSTPONE ACTIVITIES PROMPTLY AND DON/T WAIT FOR THE RAIN. GO
QUICKLY INSIDE A COMPLETELY ENCLOSED BUILDING…NOT A CARPORT…OPEN
GARAGE…OR COVERED PATIO. IF NO ENCLOSED BUILDING IS AVAILABLE…
GET INSIDE A HARD-TOPPED METAL VEHICLE. THE STEEL FRAME OF THE
VEHICLE PROVIDES PROTECTION IF YOU ARE NOT TOUCHING METAL.

2. BE THE LOWEST POINT. LIGHTNING LIKES TO STRIKE THE TALLEST
OBJECTS. IF HIKING IN THE MOUNTAINS AND ABOVE THE TREELINE…YOU
ARE THE TALLEST OBJECT. QUICKLY GET BELOW TREELINE AND GET INTO A
GROVE OF SMALL TREES. ASIDE FROM THIS SITUATION HOWEVER…YOU
SHOULD AVOID TREES. IF YOU ARE IN AN OPEN FIELD…LIKE A FARM OR A
BASEBALL OR SOCCER FIELD…YOU ARE THE TALLEST OBJECT. DUGOUTS OR
GAZEBOS AFFORD LITTLE PROTECTION. IF YOU CANNOT GET TO AN ENCLOSED
BUILDING OR VEHICLE…CROUCH DOWN ON THE BALLS OF YOUR FEET.

3. KEEP AN EYE TO THE SKY FOR DARKENING CLOUDS AND LISTEN FOR
THUNDER. IF YOU CAN HEAR IT…GO TO A SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.

4. GET OFF BICYCLES…MOTORCYCLES…AND DO NOT LEAN ON VEHICLES.

5. WATER IS A GREAT CONDUCTOR OF ELECTRICITY. GET OUT OF THE WATER
IF BOATING OR SWIMMING. GET OFF THE BEACH. DO NOT STAND IN
PUDDLES…EVEN IF WEARING RUBBER BOOTS.

6. AVOID METAL. DO NOT HOLD GOLF CLUBS…FISHING RODS…TENNIS
RACQUETS…OR TOOLS. LARGE METAL OBJECTS CAN CONDUCT LIGHTNING.
SMALL METAL OBJECTS…SUCH AS BELT BUCKLES…CAN CAUSE BURNS.

7. STAY SEVERAL YARDS AWAY FROM OTHER PEOPLE. DO NOT SHARE A
BLEACHER BENCH OR HUDDLE IN A GROUP.

8. LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO…FIRST TO FIND OUT IF THUNDERSTORMS
ARE IN THE FORECAST. NEXT TO HEAR ANY SHORT TERM FORECASTS ABOUT
THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. ALSO…TO HEAR IF THE WARNING ALARM TONE IS
ACTIVATED FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WHICH PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS AND
LARGE HAIL IN ADDITION TO LIGHTNING STRIKES.

$$
GAF

NOUS41 KBOX 241858
PNSBOX

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
257 PM EDT TUE JUN 24 2003

…NATIONAL LIGHTNING SAFETY PREPAREDNESS WEEK…
…PART TWO – LIGHTNING SAFETY FOR BOATERS…

SMALL BOATS ARE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO LIGHTNING STRIKES AND
ALSO TO STRONG WAVE ACTION. OBVIOUSLY…THE BEST THING TO DO IS NOT
TO VENTURE FAR FROM PORT WHEN BAD WEATHER IS IN THE FORECAST AND TO
RETURN TO PORT IF BILLOWING CUMULUS CLOUDS…SOON TO BE
THUNDERSTORMS…ARE SEEN IN THE DISTANCE. IF YOU ENCOUNTER STRONG
CHOPPY WAVES ON THE WAY BACK TO SHORE…YOU SHOULD ATTEMPT TO
QUARTER THE WAVES. IN OTHER WORDS…DO NOT CUT ACROSS THEM
PERPENDICULARLY…RATHER CUT ACROSS THE WAVES AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE.

IF UNABLE TO RETURN TO SHORE BEFORE THE STORM STRIKES…SOME
RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE…

…STAY LOW IN THE CENTER OF THE BOAT. DO NOT BE A STAND-UP HUMAN
LIGHTNING MAST.
…SHORTEN THE SAILS.
…KEEP ARMS AND LEGS IN THE BOAT. DO NOT DANGLE THEM IN THE WATER.
…DISCONNECT AND DO NOT TOUCH MAJOR ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT…SUCH AS
THE RADIO…UNTIL THE STORM HAS COMPLETELY PASSED. REMEMBER THAT
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE AHEAD OF OR BEHIND THE STORM BY AS MUCH AS 10
OR MORE MILES AWAY FROM THE RAIN AREA.

IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO ALWAYS HAVE INDIVIDUALS ON BOARD WHO ARE
COMPETENT IN CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION (CPR) AND FIRST AID.

A LIGHTNING PROTECTIVE MAST CAN BE PURCHASED. THESE GENERALLY
DIVERT A DIRECT LIGHTNING STRIKE WITHIN A CONE-SHAPED RADIUS TWO
TIMES THE HEIGHT OF THE MAST. THEREFORE…THE MAST MUST BE PLACED
SUFFICIENTLY HIGH TO PLACE ALL PARTS OF THE BOAT UNDER THIS
CONE-SHAPED ZONE OF PROTECTION. IN ADDITION…PORTABLE LIGHTNING
PROTECTION SYSTEMS EXIST. THESE CONSIST OF MASTS AS JUST
DESCRIBED…CONNECTED BY A FLEXIBLE COPPER CABLE TO A SUBMERGED
GROUND PLATE OF AT LEAST ONE SQUARE FOOT. THE MAST IS MOUNTED NEAR
THE BOW AND THE GROUND PLATE IS DROPPED OVERBOARD. THE CONNECTING
COPPER CABLE SHOULD BE FULLY EXTENDED AND STRAIGHT. THE BOATERS
SHOULD STAY LOW IN THE MIDDLE OR AFT PORTION OF THE BOAT.

SOME OF THE PRECEDING MESSAGE WAS EXCERPTED FROM A PAPER WRITTEN BY
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH.

$$
MCJ

NOUS41 KBOX 251239
PNSBOX

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
840 AM EDT WED JUN 25 2003

…NATIONAL LIGHTNING SAFETY PREPAREDNESS WEEK…
…PART THREE – THE SCIENCE OF A LIGHTNING STRIKE…

AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT THERE ARE 1800 THUNDERSTORMS IN PROGRESS
SOMEWHERE ON THE EARTH…WHICH AMOUNTS TO 16 MILLION THUNDERSTORMS
EACH YEAR! LIGHTNING RESEARCHERS HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING TODAY
OF THE PROCESS THAT PRODUCES LIGHTNING…BUT THERE IS STILL MUCH TO
LEARN ABOUT THE ROLE OF SOLAR FLARES IN THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE…THE
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD OF THE EARTH…AND ICE IN STORMS. WE KNOW THE
CLOUD CONDITIONS NEEDED TO PRODUCE LIGHTNING BUT CANNOT FORECAST THE
LOCATION OR TIME OF THE NEXT STROKE OF LIGHTNING.

LIGHTNING OCCURS IN VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS…INTENSE FOREST FIRES…
SURFACE NUCLEAR DETONATIONS…HEAVY SNOWSTORMS…AND LARGE
HURRICANES…BUT IT IS MOST OFTEN SEEN IN THUNDERSTORMS.
THUNDERSTORMS FORM IN AIR THAT IS MOIST…UNSTABLE…AND HAS A
TRIGGER THAT CAUSES THE AIR TO RISE…SUCH AS A COLD FRONT. RISING
MOTIONS IN THE STORM BUILD THE CLOUD TO AS HIGH AS 6 TO 10 MILES
ABOVE SEA LEVEL. ICE FORMS IN THE HIGHER PARTS OF THE CLOUD.

THE ICE PARTICLES VARY FROM SMALL ICE CRYSTALS TO LARGE HAILSTONES.
THERE ARE A LOT OF COLLISIONS BETWEEN THE PARTICLES WHICH CAUSES A
SEPARATION OF ELECTRICAL CHARGES. POSITIVELY CHARGED ICE CRYSTALS
RISE TO THE TOP OF THE STORM AND NEGATIVELY CHARGED PARTICLES AND
HAILSTONES DROP TO THE MIDDLE AND LOWER PARTS OF THE STORM.
ENORMOUS CHARGE DIFFERENCES DEVELOP.

A MOVING THUNDERSTORM GATHERS ANOTHER POOL OF POSITIVELY CHARGED
PARTICLES ALONG THE GROUND THAT TRAVEL WITH THE STORM. POSITIVELY
CHARGED PARTICLES RISE UP TALLER OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES…HOUSES…
AND TELEPHONE POLES. THE PARTICLES CAN EVEN MOVE UP YOU…HAVE YOU
EVER BEEN UNDER A THUNDERSTORM AND HAD YOUR HAIR STAND UP? IF SO…
YOU MAY BE THE LIGHTNING TARGET.

THE NEGATIVELY CHARGED AREA IN THE STORM SENDS OUT A CHARGE TOWARD
THE GROUND CALLED A STEPPED LEADER. IT IS INVISIBLE TO THE HUMAN
EYE. WHEN IT GETS CLOSE TO THE GROUND…IT IS ATTRACTED BY ALL OF
THESE POSITIVELY CHARGED OBJECTS AND A CHANNEL DEVELOPS. YOU SEE
THE ELECTRICAL TRANSFER IN THIS CHANNEL AS LIGHTNING. THERE MAY BE
SEVERAL RETURN STROKES OF ELECTRICITY WITHIN THE ESTABLISHED CHANNEL
THAT YOU WILL SEE AS FLICKERING LIGHTNING. THE LIGHTNING CHANNEL
HEATS RAPIDLY TO 30,000 OR MORE AND THE RAPID EXPANSION OF HEATED
AIR CAUSES THE THUNDER. SINCE LIGHT TRAVELS FASTER THAN SOUND IN
THE ATMOSPHERE…THE SOUND IS HEARD AFTER THE LIGHTNING. IF YOU SEE
LIGHTNING AND HEAR THUNDER AT ALMOST THE SAME TIME…THE LIGHTNING
IS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD!

NOT ALL LIGHTNING FORMS IN THE NEGATIVELY CHARGED AREA LOW IN THE
THUNDERSTORM CLOUD. SOME ORIGINATES IN THE CIRRUS ANVIL AT THE TOP
OF THE STORM WHERE THERE IS A LARGE POSITIVE CHARGE. A STRIKE
ORIGINATING IN THIS AREA IS CALLED A POSITIVE FLASH. IT IS
PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS FOR SEVERAL REASONS. IT FREQUENTLY STRIKES
AHEAD OF OR BEHIND A THUNDERSTORM…AWAY FROM THE RAIN AREA…THUS
CATCHING PEOPLE BY SURPRISE…LIKE A BOLT FROM THE BLUE. POSITIVE
STRIKES TYPICALLY LAST LONGER…SO FIRES ARE MORE EASILY IGNITED.
ALSO…THEY USUALLY CARRY A HIGH PEAK ELECTRICAL CURRENT WHICH
INCREASES THE LIGHTNING RISK TO AN INDIVIDUAL.

$$
FIELD

NOUS41 KBOX 261218
PNSBOX

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
1000 AM EDT THU JUN 26 2003

…NATIONAL LIGHTNING SAFETY PREPAREDNESS WEEK…
…PART FOUR – MEDICAL ASPECTS OF LIGHTNING…

THE UNITED STATES AVERAGES 73 REPORTED LIGHTNING DEATHS PER
YEAR…WHICH MAKES IT THE SECOND LARGEST STORM RELATED
KILLER…EXCEEDED ONLY BY FLASH FLOODS. A LIGHTNING STRIKE CAN
RESULT IN CARDIAC ARREST AT THE TIME OF THE INJURY…BUT SOME DEATHS
CAN OCCUR A FEW DAYS LATER IF THE PERSON IS RESUSCITATED BUT
SUFFERED IRREVERSIBLE BRAIN DAMAGE. BECAUSE THIS MAY OCCUR DAYS
LATER…THE NEWS STORY MAY NOT MAKE THE NEWSPAPER OR OTHER MEDIA
OUTLETS. THUS…THERE IS AN UNDER REPORTING OF INJURIES AND DEATHS
FROM LIGHTNING. THE FIGURES MORE REALISTICALLY ARE ABOUT 100 DEATHS
PER YEAR NATIONWIDE.

HOW DO LIGHTNING INJURIES AFFECT PEOPLE? LIGHTNING TENDS TO BE A
NERVOUS SYSTEM INJURY AND MAY AFFECT THE BRAIN AND BOTH AUTONOMIC
AND PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEMS. WHEN THE BRAIN IS AFFECTED…THE
PERSON OFTEN HAS DIFFICULTY WITH SHORT-TERM MEMORY…MULTI-TASKING…
AND CAN BE IRRITABLE…EASILY DISTRACTED…AND HAVE A PERSONALITY
CHANGE. SURVIVORS INITIALLY MAY COMPLAIN OF INTENSE HEADACHES…
RINGING IN THE EARS…DIZZINESS…NAUSEA…VOMITING…OR OTHER
POST-CONCUSSION TYPES OF SYMPTOMS. IRREGULAR SLEEP PATTERNS MAY
OCCUR. SEIZURE-LIKE ACTIVITY MAY OCCUR WEEKS TO MONTHS AFTER THE
INJURY.

PEOPLE WHO WAKE UP AFTER THE INJURY OFTEN DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO
EXPRESS WHAT IS WRONG WITH THEM AND MAY BECOME EMBARRASSED WHEN THEY
CANNOT CARRY ON A CONVERSATION. AS A RESULT THEY MAY ISOLATE
THEMSELVES AND BECOME EASY TO ANGER. DEPRESSION BECOMES A BIG
PROBLEM. SURVIVORS OFTEN BECOME EXHAUSTED AFTER ONLY A FEW HOURS OF
WORK AND MAY NOT BE ABLE TO COMPLETE ALL REQUIRED JOB TASKS.

ANOTHER COMMON…OFTEN DELAYED…PROBLEM FOR SOME SURVIVORS IS
INTENSE PAIN. THE PAIN MAY NOT BE FROM HEADACHES BUT IN THE
BACK…PERHAPS FROM COMPRESSION AND DISC INJURY FROM THE INTENSE
MUSCLE CONTRACTIONS WHICH MAY THROW A PERSON SEVERAL YARDS AT THE
TIME OF THE INJURY. THE PAIN MAY ALSO OCCUR IN AN EXTREMITY…AS
NERVES BEGIN TO SLOWLY REGENERATE. DECREASED LIBIDO AND IMPOTENCE
OFTEN ARE REPORTED.

ANATOMIC TESTING…SUCH AS AN X-RAY…CT SCAN…MRI…OR BLOOD TEST
OFTEN SHOW UP AS NORMAL. SOMETIMES FUNCTIONAL TESTS ORDERED ARE
TESTING THE WRONG THING. AN ELECTROMYOGRAM…OR EMG…MEASURES ONLY
THE MOTOR FIBERS…WHICH ARE SELDOM AFFECTED BY LIGHTNING INJURY.
SMALLER PAIN CARRYING NERVE FIBERS ARE NOT TESTED BY EMG. THUS A
NORMAL EMG RESULT CAN MEAN LITTLE FOR SOMEONE WITH PAIN. LIKEWISE…
THE STANDARD EEG PRIMARILY MEASURES SURFACE READINGS OF THE BRAIN
AND MISSES SEIZURE ACTIVITY IN SEVERAL DEEPER REGIONS.

MORE USEFUL IS A FUNCTIONAL TEST OF HOW A PERSON/S BRAIN IS
WORKING…NEUROCOGNITIVE OR NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING. THESE TESTS
ARE ADMINISTERED BY A NEUROPSYCHOLOGIST FAMILIAR WITH LITERATURE IN
THIS AREA…NOT BY A PSYCHIATRIST. THESE ARE PEN AND PAPER TESTS
LASTING 6 TO 8 HOURS AND TEST MEMORY…IQ…ORGANIZATIONAL ABILITY…
ETC. LIGHTNING STRIKE SURVIVORS USUALLY HAVE A CHARACTERISTIC
PATTERN OF DEFICITS.

HELP DOES EXIST FOR LIGHTNING STRIKE SURVIVORS AND PHYSICIANS
ALIKE. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE WEB…GO TO WWW.LIGHTNING-STRIKE.ORG
OR CALL 1-910-346-4708.

$$

FIELD

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Southeast Massachusetts ARES District Emergency Coordinator
SEMARA ARES Emergency Coordinator
Pager #: (508) 354-3142
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875 (After 6 PM)
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)
Work Phone #: 1-800-445-2588 Ext.: 72929 (8 AM-5 PM)
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
http://users.rcn.com/rmacedo