Media Release
Friday, June 18, 2010
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Residents Reminded to Educate Themselves on What to Do During Severe Weather
NAPERVILLE, Ill.— The City of Naperville reminds all residents to educate themselves on how to stay safe from the dangers of lightning during Lightning Awareness Week taking place from June 20-26, 2010.
“This summer has been active in terms of thunderstorms and inclement weather,” Emergency Management Coordinator Joe Henderson said. “On average, 58 people are killed in the United States each year by lightning, and many more are permanently injured. I encourage all residents to review lightning safety tips as we enter the active summer thunderstorm season and use common sense when severe weather approaches.”
The city offers the following tips from the National Weather Service to keep individuals safe from lightning:
Watch for developing thunderstorms and monitor the weather. Thunderstorms are most likely to develop on spring or summer days but can occur year round. Have a lightning safety plan that allows adequate time to seek shelter. If you can hear thunder, you are within striking distance of lightning. Seek shelter immediately. Fully enclosed buildings provide the best protection. Picnic shelters, sheds, tents or covered porches do not protect you from lightning. If a sturdy building is unavailable, locate a hard-topped metal vehicle and close all the windows. Wait 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder to go outside. Minimize the risk of being struck by lightning during outdoor activities. Activities should be suspended once thunder is heard so that participants can seek shelter. If inside a building, stay off corded phones, computers or other electrical equipment that allows for direct contact with electricity. Cordless phones and cell phones are safe. Stay away from pools (indoor or outdoor), tubs, showers and other plumbing. Purchase surge protectors for electronic equipment in your home, and install ground fault protectors on circuits located near water or in the outdoors. If someone is struck by lightning, they need urgent medical attention. Lightning victims do not carry an electrical charge and are safe to touch. Some deaths can be prevented with proper first aid care. Call 9-1-1 immediately and perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if the victim is unresponsive or not breathing. Use an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) if available.
The city encourages all residents to develop a safety plan for use in your home, workplace, school and vehicle. The city has produced an Emergency Preparedness Guide to assist residents in creating a plan. A copy of this document is available on the city’s website at www.naperville.il.us/emergencyprepguide.aspx. More information on lightning safety is available from the National Weather Service at www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/.
In the future, the city will launch a notification system used to alert residents and businesses of emergencies as well as informational messages via an automated telephone dialing system. These messages can be sent to a subscriber’s landline, mobile phone, fax machine and e-mail address. For more information, including the official launch date of this feature, please sign up for the city’s e-Newsletter on emergency preparedness at www.naperville.il.us/enews.aspx.
For more information on Emergency Preparedness, visit the city’s Web site at www.naperville.il.us/nema.aspx. For more information on the City of Naperville, visit www.naperville.il.us. Sign up to receive the latest news on the City of Naperville’s projects and initiatives via e-mail at www.naperville.il.us/enews.aspx.
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About Naperville: Located 28 miles west of Chicago, Naperville, Ill., is home to approximately 145,000 people. This vibrant, thriving city consistently ranks as a top community in the nation in which to live, raise children and retire. The city is home to acclaimed public and parochial schools, the best public library system in the country, an array of healthcare options and an exceptionally low crime rate. Naperville has ready access to a variety of public transportation, housing and employment options. The city’s diversified employer base features high technology firms, retailers and factories, as well as small and home-based businesses. Residents also enjoy world-class parks, diverse worship options, the opportunity to serve on several city boards and commissions, a thriving downtown shopping and dining area, a renowned living history museum known as Naper Settlement and an active civic community. For more information, please visit our Web site at www.naperville.il.us.
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