The 2024 National Lightning Safety Awareness Week took place June 23 – 29. Lightning strikes 25 million times per year in the U.S. and kills an average of 20 people, according to the National Weather Service.
Predictable events are preventable events, so South Carolina municipalities should have an inclement weather policy which specifies who makes the decision to cancel or postpone work projects, special events or other activities. The policy should also detail when the decision will be made, based on which source — such as the local NWS office — and how and when the decision will be communicated to employees, volunteers, vendors, participants or attendees.
South Carolina ranked among the top 25 states with the most lightning strikes in 2022. From 2018 to 2023, the Municipal Association’s SC Municipal Insurance and Risk Financing Fund received 133 lightning-related property claims with a total incurred cost of $1.3 million, for an average of approximately $9,800 per claim.
Lightning occurs year-round, but most casualties occur in the summer, and most strikes occur in July. Lightning strikes often occur in the afternoon, and two-thirds of lightning casualties occur between noon and 6 p.m.
Cities need a written emergency action plan, as required by Occupational Safety and Health Administration standard 29 CFR 1910.38(a), which facilitates and organizes actions during workplace emergencies. Training administration, employees and volunteers to understand their roles and responsibilities within the plan can result in fewer and less severe injuries and less structural damage to the facility during emergencies. Cities without a policy or without effective training on the policies put lives at risk.
A poor plan or lack of training will likely result in a disorganized evacuation or emergency response, confusion, injury and property damage. Staff and volunteers should also be trained in CPR and AED use. The physical address of the facility should be posted on signage with instructions to call 911 or another pre-identified agency. Visit https://www.osha.gov/etools/evacuation-plans-procedures/eap for an overview of the components of an emergency action plan.
Factors that affect fatalities include an organization’s willingness to cancel or postpone activities, awareness of approaching or developing storms, the vulnerability of the activity and the ability and willingness to get to a safe place quickly.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s lightning safety webpage provides safety tips and educational resources and accounts of lightning survivors and fatalities.