NEWBURYPORT — On June 11, a Hampton police officer was struck by lightning as he performed a routine traffic stop on the Seabrook/Hampton bridge.
Two weeks later, a Methuen man was killed by lightning as he walked through the Haverhill woods.
Then last week, 10 people at a youth soccer game in Dorchester were injured when lightning hit the tree under which they hid.
Those incidents serve to underscore not only the dangers of lightning, but just how prevalent injuries and deaths have been this summer. That has state and local officials pushing to raise awareness about what to do when a storm approaches, something few think about until the moment arises.
While there have been no reported incidents this year of lightning striking a person in Greater Newburyport, the people who oversee outdoor activities still feel pressure to make the right decisions every day, knowing lives could be at stake.
"The perfect example is like (yesterday) deciding whether to cancel the programs without an indoor alternative," said Andrea Egmont, director of Youth Services, noting Perkins Playground and Atkinson Common both offer no shelter from storms. "I wake up at 6:30 and look at the Doppler radar, and if there is a 30 percent chance of thunder and lightning, then I don't run the programs."
While this can be frustrating for parents who would like their children to be busy during the day, Egmont said it is always better to act safely than be sorry.
The multi-sport and tennis programs both occur in the two locations without shelter, and when Egmont and her team are leading an activity and hear thunder, they immediately get the kids off the field and under shelter.
"It can be sunny here and three towns over, thundering and lightning," Egmont said. "Next year, we will hopefully have the new barn at Cashman Park. We can then move the Perkins Park programming there for this reason."
Thunderstorms occur singly, in clusters or in lines, and if you can hear thunder, then you are close enough to the storm to be affected by lightning and should find shelter immediately, according to literature released by the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency. Lightning can strike up to 10 miles ahead of or after the arrival of a storm, so knowing the difference between the commonly heard terms "severe thunderstorm watch," and "severe thunderstorm warning" is imperative.
A watch is put out when thunderstorms are likely to occur. When the watch goes out, MEMA suggests people keep an eye on the skies and stay tuned to local stations for more information. Warnings often follow the thunderstorm watch and mean severe weather has been spotted on radar and there is imminent danger to life and property.
At Ould Newbury Golf Course, club professional Jim Hilton keeps his eyes glued to the weather channel and the Internet, watching for severe weather alerts.
"Basically, we follow the storms and have an air horn to bring in the players until it is safe," Hilton said. "It is mandatory they get off the greens."
Yesterday, the links were open for golfers, but Hilton suspected with the wild weather expected to pass through, they would not be out for long.
"It's up to the players to use the course if the greens are playable," Hilton said. "But as soon as there is a warning, we get them off."
At Salisbury Beach Reservation, lifeguards at the command station keep tabs on the weather and radio out to lifeguards on the sands if conditions are changing.
Since golf courses, beaches and ball fields are some of the most vulnerable places people can be during a storm, the beaches are cleared whenever a lightning storm is in the area.
"The story with the soccer team hiding under the tree is just so horrific," Egmont said. "If anything, it has made me more careful."
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DURING THE THUNDERSTORM
MEMA provides the following tips to keep safe during a thunderstorm:
r If caught outside, go to a low-lying area away from trees, poles or metal objects.
r Make yourself the smallest target by squatting low to the ground and placing hands on knees. Don't lie flat, as this makes you a larger target.
r Don't stand on a hilltop, in an open field, beach or in a boat on the water.
r If boating or swimming, get to land immediately.
r Get away from anything metal, such as tractors, pipes, rails or any metallic paths, which can carry lightning from a distance.
r Avoid isolated sheds or small structures in open areas.
r Avoid showering or bathing, as plumbing and bathroom fixtures can conduct electricity.
r Unplug appliances and other electrical items, such as computers.
r Note that rubber-soled shoes and rubber tires provide no protection from lightning. However, the steel frame of a hard-topped vehicle provides increased protection if you are not touching metal.
