weatherwise or 

 otherwise? 



BY NANCY DAVIS 



lutdoorsmen beware. 

 That includes all you 

 golfers, boaters, swimmers, joggers and 

 beachgoers. 



You're more likely than most folks to 

 get struck by lightning— particularly if 

 you live or vacation in North Carolina 

 during the summer months. 



Although the Tar Heel state isn't a na- 

 tional leader in numbers of thunder- 

 storms per year, it consistently ranks 

 second in lightning deaths per year. 

 The reason? 



Dennis Decker, a meteorologist with 

 the National Weather Service in Ra- 

 leigh, suspects the explanation is 

 twofold. 



First, with the long warm season, 

 there are plenty of recreational oppor- 

 tunities here. That means more people 



are out on the golf course, in a boat or 

 around a swimming pool during light- 

 ning season. 



Second, since North Carolina is an 

 agricultural state, more people are likely 

 to be in open fields when a storm hits. 



But if you spend a lot of time outside 

 in the summer, take heart. Meteorologi- 

 cal data tells us the odds of anyone be- 

 ing hit by lightning are about 1 million 

 to one. 



And if you are struck, there's a good 

 chance you'll survive. Experts estimate 

 two-thirds of those struck by lightning 

 survive. Many of the victims that are as- 

 sumed dead could actually be revived 

 through cardiopulmonary resuscitation. 



You can avoid becoming a lightning 

 statistic by exercising a little common 

 sense, Decker says. 



As Ben Franklin once said, "Some 

 people are weatherwise, but most are 

 otherwise." 



Because lightning often strikes with- 

 out warning, the best advice is to take 

 cover immediately. Don't wait to see if 

 the storm is going to blow over. 



If you're outside when a storm ap- 

 proaches, seek shelter in a building. If 

 you're in a rural area and there's no 

 building nearby, get in your vehicle. 



"Make yourself as poor a target as 

 possible," Decker says. 



Don't take shelter near potential light- 

 ning targets such as fences or tall trees. 



In many cases, nature will provide 

 you with a warning that you're a light- 

 ning target. If you sud- 

 denly feel charged, your .. - 

 hair feels as though it's 

 standing on end or your 

 skin feels tingly, drop to 

 your knees and bend - , \ 

 over immediately -~ > ' f< *" 



Stay away from open doors and win 

 dows and out of the shower. 



If you're in a boat on the water, your 

 risk may be magnified. Not only does 



continued on next page 



