Topic: Boy Killed, Other Critically Injured by Lightning Strike in Virginia

[HailHunter]

This story is a stark reminder of the power of lightning, and yet another example of the ignorance of the general public when it comes to the awesome strength of severe weather in any and all forms since the boys were struck even though their parents were supposedly supervising them.

http://news.aol.com/article/virginia-boy-lightning/515002?icid=main

[blackjack52]

Very sad. Should have struck the parent. Fupid.

[WeatherHost]

There were two killed in California yesterday also.


http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i1d0dbeC1FGUtBrn-D7oZyPI0s9QD98K472G1

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/06/04/Lightning-kills-3-in-Calif-Va/UPI-82131244094301/

[blackjack52]

This story is a stark reminder of the power of lightning, and yet another example of the ignorance of the general public when it comes to the awesome strength of severe weather in any and all forms since the boys were struck even though their parents were supposedly supervising them.

http://news.aol.com/article/virginia-boy-lightning/515002?icid=main

I'm sad for the boy who didn't know.  Sad for the parents because of their bad judgement.
 
WE can do something to maybe prevent a lightning death somewhere, sometime.
 
I challenge all of you who have weather web sites or if you have influence over any web site; publicize Lightning Safety Week June 21-27.
I put a lightning safety paragraph on my site.  http://www.lexingtonwx.com/
You can do it better.  Teach someone about the danger of lightning.
Yes, the public is ignorant about lightning.  But we can educate them!
This is my challenge - do something.  Do it better than I have.  Show us how you are educating the public about the danger of lightning.

Great idea. "HEY LIGHTNING ROD! Go indoors when thunder roars."    Challenge accepted.

And this was the 1st time they heard about lightning danger?  Just like tornadoes, it'll never happen to me. Freakin' ignorance.

[ocala]

Ron White said it best.
"You can't fix stupid".
People will do stupid things for the rest of eternity. Anything we try to do is pointless.
It may make you feel better to put a notice on your web site or whatever but it will do absolutely no good.

[tomwxman]

Ron White said it best.
"You can't fix stupid".
People will do stupid things for the rest of eternity. Anything we try to do is pointless.
It may make you feel better to put a notice on your web site or whatever but it will do absolutely no good.

This is a little harsh. Someone just might take notice and think twice next time about going-out, or letting their kids stay outside, as in this case. Indeed, this death will teach a lot of people the lesson, won't it.

Having said that, then I can't help but think:

"Stupid is as stupid does." (Forrest's momma)

[blackjack52]

I agree. 1 lesson is all it takes to figure out a hot pot burns.  But, as wxtech stated, it will raise awareness.

Parents should be chrgd w/ murder.


The day I capped the rainbow lightning pic, there were little lightning rods running around in the park...parents looked at me like mind your business. Trees all around. Oh, I'm safe! Get the bbq sauce.

[ocala]

Ron White said it best.
"You can't fix stupid".
People will do stupid things for the rest of eternity. Anything we try to do is pointless.
It may make you feel better to put a notice on your web site or whatever but it will do absolutely no good.

This is a little harsh. Someone just might take notice and think twice next time about going-out, or letting their kids stay outside, as in this case. Indeed, this death will teach a lot of people the lesson, won't it.

Having said that, then I can't help but think:

"Stupid is as stupid does." (Forrest's momma)

That's the problem Tom. It takes people getting kicked in the butt to get their attention.
What I said me be harsh but that's the nature of people in general.

What happens when you get a speeding ticket? You slow down.
What happens if you have a close call with lightning?. You go indoors next time.
What happens if you have a heart attack and live? You live a healthier lifestyle.

Reading words of wisdom on a website, a billboard, or a marquee are forgotten almost instantly.
Think about it. Can you remember anything on a billboard you passed by today?

[SoMDWx]

I'm sad for the boy who didn't know.  Sad for the parents because of their bad judgement.

Sad for the boy.. Angry and frustrated at the parents who should have known better AFTER the umpires ordered everyone off the field....

 

Jim

[WeatherHost]

What happens when you get a speeding ticket? You slow down.
What happens if you have a close call with lightning?. You go indoors next time.
What happens if you have a heart attack and live? You live a healthier lifestyle.

No you don't.
No you don't.
No you don't.

You go on just as you always did.

Angry and frustrated at the parents who should have known better AFTER the umpires ordered everyone off the field....

Pure coincidence.  It could have just as easily been one of the Umps that got hit walking to their car a block away from the field.

[SoMDWx]

True. But it's called reducing your risk... By getting off the field sooner, they may have been saved...... But that's pure speculation....

[WeatherHost]

It's called 'when your number is up, it doesn't matter where you are' like the lady in California who was walking down the sidewalk shopping.

[HailHunter]

I have to strongly disagree. It's the difference in buckling your seatbelt and going without it. You reduce your risk and use common sense to protect yourself. You can do any number of things that punches that number well before your time. Those umpires did the right thing, and those boys were struck due to ignorance of the parents who did not call their children indoors. If they had simply done that, they would have not been struck, and would be outside playing catch today.

[WeatherHost]

If they had simply done that, they would have not been struck, and would be outside playing catch today.

You don't know that.  They could have been struck in the parking lot leaving the field, or in their driveway between the car and the house.

Or they could have been like the other lady who was killed in her car by a tree that fell after being hit by lightning.

Or maybe it was that kid's fate to be hit that day and if he had left the field and been in a crowd of others, they may all have been hit.  By staying on the field he may have saved the lives of several others by drawing the bolt away from them.

[SoMDWx]

You are not listening.    It's called risk reduction..... You minimize the chances of getting hit... Somewhat like spearfishing and spearing a fish and keeping it the water with you trailing blood. Not long, a shark shows up smelling the blood. You reduce your risk by putting your catch in the boat, not strapping it to your waist....

The chances are much greater that those kids would not have been strick if they had taken cover in an auto or building...... Proof is in the stats.....

[WeatherHost]

Up in the San Bernardino Mountains, wind blew a tree onto a car and killed driver Elena Martinez, 31, said Big Bear Lake fire spokeswoman Michelle Caldwell. The coroner's office said the large tree broke off about 30 feet above the ground at about 11 a.m. Wednesday and crushed the driver's side of the Chevrolet Suburban.

Another woman, Elena Martinez, 31, died earlier Wednesday when lightning struck a tree and a branch hit her car near Big Bear Lake, the Los Angeles Times said.

Bit of a discrepancy in what caused the tree to fall, but how was this woman safer in her large, sturdy vehicle?  In this case 'minimizing the risk' might have been for her to be in a large open area like a ball field where there were no trees to fall on her.

Same thing happened in the wind storm that went through parts of IL & MO; a woman was killed in her home, in bed by a falling tree (although I can't find a news clip on that right now).  Where should she have been to 'minimize the risk' ?

[lddaly]

Who's got the popcorn?

[wxtech]

Who's got the popcorn?

It's too late for popcorn, fight's over.  I removed my post.  Sorry, I challenged the wrong audience.

[blackjack52]

While you can never get rid of all the risk, you certainly can reduce it by minimizing factors. What you're talking about is fate. When it's your time, there isn't risk reduction.

A friend, Boom Operator on KC-135s, didn't feel right about flying one day, so he didn't. The aircraft he was supposed to be on, crashed on top of him when he was leaving base.  Has nothing to do w/ risk reduction; purely chance...and some bad mojo.

I think risk reduction improves the chances of a better outcome. To say you might be better off staying in a dangerous situation because you might trip and kill yourself getting to safety, isn't risk reduction.  If you have to trek under trees during a storm, you might be safer squatting down on the field.

[racenet]

Who's got the popcorn?

[HailHunter]

LOL at the popcorn comments. However, it's a rather silly thing to be arguing over. Everyone of us on this board are supposed to have common sense or at least educated sense when it comes to weather, and of that we all (are supposed) to know that when you can hear thunder you are supposed to go indoors. "If you are close enough to hear the thunder, you are close enough to be struck."

Whether or not those boys were "meant" to be struck is irrelevant. The fact is that the boys were struck by lightning and their parents did not adhere to common safety rules as it pertains to lightning.

[SoMDWx]

 

[WeatherHost]

to know that when you can hear thunder you are supposed to go indoors. "If you are close enough to hear the thunder, you are close enough to be struck."

I can't say as I know anyone that does that.  Most stay out working until it's raining too hard to see.

[wxtech]

to know that when you can hear thunder you are supposed to go indoors. "If you are close enough to hear the thunder, you are close enough to be struck."

I can't say as I know anyone that does that.  Most stay out working until it's raining too hard to see.

Raining -- OK.  Work outside with thunder in the area?  I've never known anyone, friends or co-workers who would do that. 

[Mark / Ohio]

Who's got the popcorn?

None for me.  I'm good.  


I've always been a "when your numbers up" type myself.  But I don't fly kites with copper wire in a super cell neither.  

That would be stacking the deck against God's will.  On the other hand if I did not have common sense enough not to do that, maybe God's will would be to just let me do it.