ORLANDO, Fla. – During the summer there are several events held outdoors across the nation including, but not limited to, Independence Day, resulting in large numbers of people outside in the elements.
In Florida, even more people are enjoying the summer break, either on vacation or just living the lifestyle on the water or at beaches, springs, theme parks, or simply in the backyard. Water-related activities account for 34% of all leisure fatalities where most if not all victims were caught unaware of the incoming strike.
As many know, thunderstorms ramp up during this time of year, often threatening outdoor plans as sea breezes collide and strong-to-severe storms bubble up, often with a lot of lightning.
[TRENDING: Orlando police, FBI arrest man accused in bank robbery | Volusia deputies issue trespass notices on islands near Dunlawton Bridge | Become a News 6 Insider]
July is the most active time for people to be outside, especially during July Fourth. It leads the year with the most lightning deaths, followed by August and June.
The National Lightning Safety Council reports that Florida is the deadliest state for lightning in the nation, with 85 lightning deaths since 2006. Lightning kills about 20 people in the United States each year and hundreds more are severely injured.
To date, there have been five lightning-related fatalities across the nation. The latest, a 6-year-old boy who was struck on May 15 in Valley Mills, Texas who succumbed to his injuries on Friday. The boy was walking home from the bus stop with his father.
This is the second lightning lightning death in Texas this year.
Two others happened right here in Florida. You may recall the young man that was struck while on a roof at a Deltona construction site in late May.
The other was a boat captain that was struck while on the water in Brevard County in mid-April.
The first lightning death was reported the day before the boat captain in Chester County, Pennsylvania.
The National Lightning Safety Council reports that on average, the U.S. sees five lightning fatalities through June 15 and the number grows during the summer months. Keep in mind, although summer months are the most active times for lightning deaths to occur, anyone can be struck at any time during the year.
For that reason, the council stresses the importance of having a lightning safety plan in place well before an outdoor event takes place and for everyone to know that plan before it may be needed.
Starting on Father’s Day the NLSC will cover a different aspect of lightning for the next seven days. The topics range from an introduction to lightning and lightning safety to Lightning safety indoors and out, as well as protecting your home and the medical effects on lightning victims.
The NLSC has dedicated the last twenty years to saving lives by spreading knowledge and providing helpful information to people across the nation.
During that time, they’ve noted a dramatic drop in lightning deaths which they attribute to the increased awareness of lightning dangers, better lightning safety policies and guidelines and better medical attention for lightning victims.
The success here in the states spread in 2020 to an international awareness campaign after numbers of lightning death, injuries, and property loss remain unacceptably high across the world.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: