Lightning

[Shaker]

One thing a Wilderness Medical tech mentioned if that CPR is far more effective on electricians and folks who get hit by lighting. CPR is not very effective on old folks remote form a hospital. If folks are hiking in an exposed area they should obviously reduce their exposure but also get some distance from each other. If one person gets impacted by a strike the other person who wasnt can come back and start CPR.

IF...CPR is needed. Do NOT start CPR on a person who is unconscious but still has a carotid pulse. I have seen this mistake made even in the hospital, and it can have the opposite effect of your intended consequences.

Shaker

[TexasBob]

Neighbors sons house recently struck i heard today. Struck tree, came down 30', could be seen on tree, jumped to phone wire, went into house and fried almost everything
Electrical. Tvs, ac system, refrigerator, etc. Home owners covers it but his son has been without ac for 2 weeks now.

Glad nobody got hurt and they have insurance. Lightning hit a big pine near our house once, stripped the bark all off one side and strangely enough it must have traveled along a root which was close to the surface because it blew all the soil off the root exposing it for about 6 feet.

[BuckeyeBill]

In my younger years, I was a football official on the high school and collegiate level. When there were storms predicted for the area, someone from the home team had monitor weather conditions both visually and electronically. If as an official we saw lightning bolts, we immediately suspend play until conditions cleared, even if it meant completing the game the following day.

[JPritch]

IF...CPR is needed. Do NOT start CPR on a person who is unconscious but still has a carotid pulse. I have seen this mistake made even in the hospital, and it can have the opposite effect of your intended consequences.

This may be as true as the anecdote of the #1 snake bite victims being 25 yo drunk males, but I was once told the story of a drowning victim being pulled from a pool, and a dentist who happened to be there asking fellow patrons for help holding down the victim so he could do CPR on him.

[JPritch]

Staying off the phone during thunderstorms used to be common advice back then.

This has carried on as I've been told before to get off my cell phone during a t-storm.

[walkinmyshoes]

NOLS' lightning protocol says not to stand near the entrance of a cave

But why? I know so many hikers who don't pay attention to this, so... Are any scientific/statistic study?

[MuddyWaters]

But why? I know so many hikers who don't pay attention to this, so... Are any scientific/statistic study?

Yes.
Shallow caves and overhangs will find you with ground currents near openings from a strike. Many people have died this way. There is a small cave on halfdome in yosemite for instance, people took shelter in when storms come, that a several groups of people have died in. One had seizure and rolled off and fell to death, people with him couldnt stop it. It was a long fall.....

Now, is it more dangerous than standing on top of halfdome in an electrical storm, where you the lightning rod? No.

But its not safe either is point.

[LazyLightning]

A lot of AT hikers will hike right through storms, ridge or whatever... what worries me most in a storm is my aluminum trekking poles. Anytime lightning is around I stop hiking and take all metal (poles, pack) off weather near a shelter or not. First I get off a ridge and away from big trees and ill just wait out the storm standing or squatting in the spot I feel safest in, if I cant set up shelter.

[LazyLightning]

I like to minimize phone/internet use while outdoors as much as possible but I try to keep up on weather/radar and make sure I don't get caught in a storm.... few days ago did a 6 mile day and set up at noon just so I didn't get caught hiking in any lightning.

[NY HIKER 50]

This has carried on as I've been told before to get off my cell phone during a t-storm.

Uh folks, you are hanging on to old info. The only phone you should get off is the wired kind, not the cell phone. Also, wireless phones are ok in a storm since you are not connected directly to the system. Some of these are OLD WIVES TALES.

[Sarcasm the elf]

Uh folks, you are hanging on to old info. The only phone you should get off is the wired kind, not the cell phone. Also, wireless phones are ok in a storm since you are not connected directly to the system. Some of these are OLD WIVES TALES.

Much like the “don’t use your cellphone while pumpig gas” urban legend. Actual number of gas pump related fires caused by cellphones: Zero.

[cliffordbarnabus]

i'd rather be on a ridge and get struck than be in a hospital bed getting struck by cancer, hodgkins, parkinsons, als, etc.

[Del Q]

All good input but what about the metal in our gear (ie tent stakes, poles) pack, add we are like 70% water.

I have been out in wicked storms, and some FAST hiking and I am pretty big, old and slow...........used to stay in shelters now tents only past 6+ years.............it's a bit of luck. I sleep great in big nasty storms, I figure that if I do get hit it will be instant and then???

I do stay 100 feet or more from the next person - that does make sense to me. Don't be the tallest thing around.