Started the day off right by walking 4.5 miles with Michelle and Cori. As we were walking we saw some interesting cloud formations, lightning that looked far away and had a little rain sprinkle on us. When we finish we usually stop at the middle point between Michelle's and my house to stretch. We were about to be done when we saw lightning strike the mountain and Cori noticed smoke but nothing ended up happening from that. A few minutes later BAM the biggest, loudest lightening/thunder hit and we were in the middle of it. It was like an earthquake with someone banging a pot right in your ear. A few of the neighbors thought it had hit their houses. It knocked the power out and shook the ground like an earthquake. Cori and I hugged each other and started screaming. During our drama scene I saw my neighbor kid, Tyler, get thrown from his bike. He was in the middle of the road and got thrown about 4-5 feet from it. He jumped up, ran to the neighbors house and was screaming and crying. My kids, the neighbor behind us and the neighbor in front of him could hear him cry and scream. Michelle and I instinctively ran to him to make sure he was ok. Michelle called 911 while I went to his house to see who was there. Tyler was coherent enough to tell me where his phone was so I could call his mom. The 911 operator told us to put cold water on his burns. As I am running to my house to get the water my kids come outside saying "Mom, what is going on we are scared." I guess I told them to stay in the house and not to talk to me - wow! How insensitive was I to my own kids. Thankfully they understood. Tyler said he hurt everywhere but especially his knees. I poured the water over his knees and got a blanket for him. It took FOREVER for the ambulance to come. Apparently they thought we were in Bodfish. Come on, I know my yard and kids might sometimes look like they come from Bodfish but give me a break! Michelle, Cori and I were holding it together until we saw Tyler's mom, Tammy. When she walked up and I saw her get emotional it was hard to old it in. We did pretty good- especially for a sap like me. When I was thinking about this event I couldn't help but remember this funniest part, not that any of this was funny, but when an EMT was asking the three of us questions we all started to talk and kept talking. He looked really confused and just kept nodding his head. It wasn't until later that it occurred to me what we did. Poor guy, we were all competing for talking time. I went home and not but 20 min. later was there a knock at the door and it was a news reporter from channel 29. I answered all his questions walked with him to the spot we were when it all started and tried my hardest to get them to go to Michelle's house to interview her but no such luck. I just kept thinking to myself, sound intelligent and please oh please don't show all my blemishes. The camera man was so close to me that at one point it was hard not to giggle. My kids think I am a movie star now and famous. I said, I might be famous for a few minutes but something else will come and take my fame from me.
This is how the rest of my day went. I think it was about 11:30 am by now. I later helped get my neighbor's dog back to her. It ran away because of the storm. I got interviewed by another tv station. My family quickly jumped in the car and took off so we didn't have to talk to the third tv station. I took the kids to Bakersfied to get Jayda's 18th month check and shots done. As we are coming home Trey says he is sick and I had to cut 3 people off in order to get to the other side quick. Luckily, I made it in time for him to up chuck out the window. Thankfully, I only had to clean the outside of the car. We went and picked up an extra kid to spend the night, I cooked dinner and cleaned the house. What an emotional, crazy day. I am done and need to go to bed but can't seem to settle down enough to sleep.
I found some interesting facts about lightning:
www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/more.htm
1. MYTH: Lightning Never Strikes The Same Place Twice
TRUTH: Lightning often strikes the same place repeatedly, especially if it’s a tall pointy isolated object. The Empire State Building used to be used as a lightning laboratory, since it is hit nearly 25 times a year. Places prone to lightning are places to avoid when thunderstorms are nearby!
2. MYTH: If It’s Not Raining, Or If Clouds Aren’t Overhead, I’m Safe From Lightning
TRUTH: Lightning often strikes more than three miles from the thunderstorm, far outside the rain or even thunderstorm cloud. ‘Bolts From The Blue’, though infrequent, can strike 10-15 Miles from the thunderstorm. Anvil lightning can strike the ground over 50 Miles from the thunderstorm, under extreme conditions. Lightning in clouds has traveled over 100 miles from the thunderstorm.
3.MYTH: Rubber Tires Protect You From Lightning In A Car By Insulating You From The Ground
TRUTH: Lightning laughs at two inches of rubber! Most cars are reasonably safe from lightning. But it’s the metal roof and metal sides that protect you, not the rubber tires. Thus convertibles, motorcycles, bicycles, open shelled outdoor recreational vehicles, and cars with plastic or fiberglass shells offer no lightning protection. Likewise, farm and construction vehicles with open cockpits offer no lightning protection. But closed cockpits with metal roof and sides are safer than going outside. And don’t even ask about sneakers!
MYTH: If Outside In A Thunderstorm, Go Under A Tree To Stay Dry
TRUTH: Being underneath trees is the second leading activity for lightning casualties – enough said?!
6. MYTH: I’m In A House, I’m Safe From Lightning
TRUTH: While a house is a good place for lightning safety, just going inside isn’t enough. You must avoid any conducting path leading outside, such as corded telephones, electrical appliances, wires, TV cables, plumbing (including plastic pipes with water in them), metal doors or window frames, etc. Don’t stand near a window to watch the lightning. An inside room is generally best.
MYTH: If Trapped Outside And Lightning Is About To Strike, Lie Flat On The Ground
TRUTH: This advice is decades out of date. Better advice is to use the ‘Lightning Crouch’: put your feet together, squat low, tuck your head, and cover your ears. Lightning induces electric currents along the top of the ground that can be deadly over 100 Feet away. While lying flat on the ground gets you as low as possible, which is good, it increases your chance of being hit by a ground current, which is bad. The best combination of being low and touching the ground as little as possible is the ‘Lightning Crouch’. But the ‘Lightning Crouch’ should be used only as a last resort. Much better would be to plan outdoor activities around the weather to avoid thunderstorm exposure and to have proper shelter available.
This is how the rest of my day went. I think it was about 11:30 am by now. I later helped get my neighbor's dog back to her. It ran away because of the storm. I got interviewed by another tv station. My family quickly jumped in the car and took off so we didn't have to talk to the third tv station. I took the kids to Bakersfied to get Jayda's 18th month check and shots done. As we are coming home Trey says he is sick and I had to cut 3 people off in order to get to the other side quick. Luckily, I made it in time for him to up chuck out the window. Thankfully, I only had to clean the outside of the car. We went and picked up an extra kid to spend the night, I cooked dinner and cleaned the house. What an emotional, crazy day. I am done and need to go to bed but can't seem to settle down enough to sleep.
I found some interesting facts about lightning:
www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/more.htm
1. MYTH: Lightning Never Strikes The Same Place Twice
TRUTH: Lightning often strikes the same place repeatedly, especially if it’s a tall pointy isolated object. The Empire State Building used to be used as a lightning laboratory, since it is hit nearly 25 times a year. Places prone to lightning are places to avoid when thunderstorms are nearby!
2. MYTH: If It’s Not Raining, Or If Clouds Aren’t Overhead, I’m Safe From Lightning
TRUTH: Lightning often strikes more than three miles from the thunderstorm, far outside the rain or even thunderstorm cloud. ‘Bolts From The Blue’, though infrequent, can strike 10-15 Miles from the thunderstorm. Anvil lightning can strike the ground over 50 Miles from the thunderstorm, under extreme conditions. Lightning in clouds has traveled over 100 miles from the thunderstorm.
3.MYTH: Rubber Tires Protect You From Lightning In A Car By Insulating You From The Ground
TRUTH: Lightning laughs at two inches of rubber! Most cars are reasonably safe from lightning. But it’s the metal roof and metal sides that protect you, not the rubber tires. Thus convertibles, motorcycles, bicycles, open shelled outdoor recreational vehicles, and cars with plastic or fiberglass shells offer no lightning protection. Likewise, farm and construction vehicles with open cockpits offer no lightning protection. But closed cockpits with metal roof and sides are safer than going outside. And don’t even ask about sneakers!
MYTH: If Outside In A Thunderstorm, Go Under A Tree To Stay Dry
TRUTH: Being underneath trees is the second leading activity for lightning casualties – enough said?!
6. MYTH: I’m In A House, I’m Safe From Lightning
TRUTH: While a house is a good place for lightning safety, just going inside isn’t enough. You must avoid any conducting path leading outside, such as corded telephones, electrical appliances, wires, TV cables, plumbing (including plastic pipes with water in them), metal doors or window frames, etc. Don’t stand near a window to watch the lightning. An inside room is generally best.
MYTH: If Trapped Outside And Lightning Is About To Strike, Lie Flat On The Ground
TRUTH: This advice is decades out of date. Better advice is to use the ‘Lightning Crouch’: put your feet together, squat low, tuck your head, and cover your ears. Lightning induces electric currents along the top of the ground that can be deadly over 100 Feet away. While lying flat on the ground gets you as low as possible, which is good, it increases your chance of being hit by a ground current, which is bad. The best combination of being low and touching the ground as little as possible is the ‘Lightning Crouch’. But the ‘Lightning Crouch’ should be used only as a last resort. Much better would be to plan outdoor activities around the weather to avoid thunderstorm exposure and to have proper shelter available.
Comments
I just learned the lightening crouch on Man vs. Wild the other day. Ryan said he's had to do that more than he cares to remember. Ask him about the time a fellow packer was struck by lightening in the high country. And the horse. Don't forget to ask about the horse.