Lightning is a natural phenomenon that always accompanies severe storms. Keep an eye on the sky when thunderstorms approach. Cloud-to-ground strikes often occur miles away from the epicenter of the storm. A direct strike, near miss, or excess voltage carried through electric lines and water pipes may result in serious personal injury or property damage. Safety should be top priority when lightning is in the area.

Examples of best practices to avoid lightning-related injury:

• Find shelter inside a sturdy building when threatening weather is nearby.
• Avoid standing under tall trees and power lines.
• Leave the water if you are boating or swimming.
• Stay away from corded land-line phones and appliances.
• Postpone taking a shower or washing dishes.

Take proactive steps to reduce the possibility of lightning damage to your home. A professionally installed lightning protection system with lightning rods or air terminals, down conductors, and ground wire networks offers the best defense. Plug appliances and electronic equipment into UL-approved surge protectors to safeguard belongings from damage caused by a power surge. Unplugging expensive electronics is another way to prevent property damage when lightning is nearby.