Lightning Safety for the Home
Lightning causes about 17,400 fires each year in the United States. The peak season begins in June, so now is the time to learn how to protect your home and loved ones with these lightning safety tips.
Firefighters took six days to control a wildfire that burned more than 70,600 acres in Southern California's Mojave National Reserve, located about 150 miles northeast of Los Angeles and 40 miles west of the Nevada border.
On Wednesday, June 22, 2005, five separate flames were lit. They soon merged to create a large wildfire, which finally held back at 6 p.m. Monday, June 27. Because the area is remote, only five houses, six trailers, two cabins, and some other buildings were destroyed, but families were forced to evacuate.
More than 900 firefighters fought what Captain Greg Cleveland of the Southern California Incident Management Team called "the largest fire on the 1.6 million-acre reserve," according to the Los Angeles Times. Thousands of acres of dry grass, juniper, Artemis and pine nuts, thick and covered in weeds after last winter's record rain, were quickly engulfed when strong winds fanned the flames. When the winds began to calm down on Sunday, firefighters took the break they needed.
A summer jolt
The U.S. Fire Management estimates that lightning causes 17,400 fires each year, averaging 10 deaths, 75 injuries and $138 million in property damage. Two-thirds of these disasters occur between June and August (25 percent in July alone). Most rays occur outdoors, igniting shrubs, grass and other materials; Forty-one percent hit houses and interior structures, knocking down roofs, sidewalls, structures and electrical cables with up to 100 million volts of electricity. The vast majority of victims (89 percent) are caused by structural fires. In fact, a 2003 Insurance Research Council survey found that 25 percent of homeowners' claims cite lightning or hail as the cause of their losses.
Lightning safety tips for homeowners
As a homeowner, you can take preventive action, says Bud VanSickle, executive director of the Lightning Protection Institute (LPI), a nonprofit group based in St. Joseph, Missouri, that promotes safety, awareness and education Rays.
"Home and business owners don't need to take any chances with lightning," he says. "A professionally installed lightning protection system that meets U.S. safety standards will prevent lightning damage by providing a safe electrical path to Earth for lightning destructive energy."
LPI provides a list of certified U.S. contractors on its website. Before hiring a consultant, follow the institute's guidelines:
Ensure that materials and methods meet nationally recognized safety standards from LPI, National Fire Protection Association, and Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL).
Only a UL-certified, UL-certified LPI-certified ray protection contractor should install your system. Other traders are generally not qualified to install lightning protection.
See references. A qualified specialist must provide a list of references and affiliations with industry groups.
Ask about surge protection. Lightning-induced surges in your home or business can damage electronics and appliances. A qualified earthing and lightning protection company can provide options for service input lightning rods and surge protection devices at the point of use.
Experience counts. Be wary of start-ups or contractors that offer a "price agreement" to install, repair, or repair your lightning protection system. Compare your prices and quality with other lightning protection companies in your area.
If in doubt, contact your local Better Business Bureau for information on a company or contractor's reliability report before hiring.
Firefighters took six days to control a wildfire that burned more than 70,600 acres in Southern California's Mojave National Reserve, located about 150 miles northeast of Los Angeles and 40 miles west of the Nevada border.
On Wednesday, June 22, 2005, five separate flames were lit. They soon merged to create a large wildfire, which finally held back at 6 p.m. Monday, June 27. Because the area is remote, only five houses, six trailers, two cabins, and some other buildings were destroyed, but families were forced to evacuate.
More than 900 firefighters fought what Captain Greg Cleveland of the Southern California Incident Management Team called "the largest fire on the 1.6 million-acre reserve," according to the Los Angeles Times. Thousands of acres of dry grass, juniper, Artemis and pine nuts, thick and covered in weeds after last winter's record rain, were quickly engulfed when strong winds fanned the flames. When the winds began to calm down on Sunday, firefighters took the break they needed.
A summer jolt
The U.S. Fire Management estimates that lightning causes 17,400 fires each year, averaging 10 deaths, 75 injuries and $138 million in property damage. Two-thirds of these disasters occur between June and August (25 percent in July alone). Most rays occur outdoors, igniting shrubs, grass and other materials; Forty-one percent hit houses and interior structures, knocking down roofs, sidewalls, structures and electrical cables with up to 100 million volts of electricity. The vast majority of victims (89 percent) are caused by structural fires. In fact, a 2003 Insurance Research Council survey found that 25 percent of homeowners' claims cite lightning or hail as the cause of their losses.
Lightning safety tips for homeowners
As a homeowner, you can take preventive action, says Bud VanSickle, executive director of the Lightning Protection Institute (LPI), a nonprofit group based in St. Joseph, Missouri, that promotes safety, awareness and education Rays.
"Home and business owners don't need to take any chances with lightning," he says. "A professionally installed lightning protection system that meets U.S. safety standards will prevent lightning damage by providing a safe electrical path to Earth for lightning destructive energy."
LPI provides a list of certified U.S. contractors on its website. Before hiring a consultant, follow the institute's guidelines:
Ensure that materials and methods meet nationally recognized safety standards from LPI, National Fire Protection Association, and Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL).
Only a UL-certified, UL-certified LPI-certified ray protection contractor should install your system. Other traders are generally not qualified to install lightning protection.
See references. A qualified specialist must provide a list of references and affiliations with industry groups.
Ask about surge protection. Lightning-induced surges in your home or business can damage electronics and appliances. A qualified earthing and lightning protection company can provide options for service input lightning rods and surge protection devices at the point of use.
Experience counts. Be wary of start-ups or contractors that offer a "price agreement" to install, repair, or repair your lightning protection system. Compare your prices and quality with other lightning protection companies in your area.
If in doubt, contact your local Better Business Bureau for information on a company or contractor's reliability report before hiring.
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