Summer is winding down, but we're likely to have a least a few major thunderstorms before snow flies. If you have ever been caught outdoors during a big storm, especially with your kids, you know it's pretty terrifying. It's important to know how to stay safe during a storm, even indoors, so you can enjoy nature's light show safely!
If you're inside, stay off the land line (lightning can hit a telephone pole and the current will make it into your phone, causing a shock). Also, don't take a shower or bath; believe it or not, because if lightning strikes your house it could send a current through your house via the metal plumbing. Also, stay away from windows, and if you are getting a lot of lightning you might want to disconnect computers and appliances, so they won't be fried by a power surge.
If you're in your car, pull to the side of the road (under an overpass if it's safe) and avoid touching metal objects (although you'll want to keep the kids buckled in). Make sure you're not in the path of trees or power lines that could fall on your car.
If you're outside, avoid tall things like trees, flagpoles and power lines. Stay away from bodies of water. Try to take shelter in a building; if that's not possible, spread out if you are in a group. If you start to feel your hair stand up, that means lightning is about to strike! Crouch down on your knees, bend forward and keep your hands on your knees....the idea is to make yourself as small as possible.
Do you have any scary storm stories?
Yep, plenty! I grew up in the midwest!
Recently, we were at a friend's house when there was an ice storm. We tried to go home and made it to our street, but we lived halfway up a steep hill. So instead of making it into our driveway, we just spun the rest of the way down the hill. There were 2 or 3 cars parked on the sides of the street and somehow we missed every one of them! DH decided to go around the block and try one more time (men!) and we still missed the driveway. He kept us straight as we slid down the hill. We parked down there and walked home in the snow (the sidewalks were too slick). I was carrying the baby. I was so scared I would fall!
A couple of years ago, we had a storm come through in the middle of the night. It woke the whole family up, and we heard the two tree fall in our yard and some in the neighbors' yards. It was pretty scary.
Thunderstorms don't ususally scare me, unless they turn into tornados.
I don't really have any scary storm stories. Our area mainly gets wind storms and rain
Smarter Family: Rainy Day Rescue
- AmyKuras
on Aug. 23, 2012 at 12:00 AM