Video: lightning safety

Transcript:

(Sounds of thunder crashing)

(Footage of intense lightning striking)

EC Meteorologist: Every year, lightning strikes and kills up to 10 Canadians and seriously injures up to another 160. I’m Environment Canada meteorologist Matt MacDonald. Did you know more Canadians die every year from lightning strikes than from flooding, hurricanes, or even tornadoes?

(Canadian lightning facts with pictures of lighting (on small TV).

EC Meteorologist: Here’s the newest lightning safety tips that could save your life. And when it comes to lightning safety, there are a lot of misconceptions out there so let’s take a look at some of the more common ones.

Title Overlay: Facts and Fiction

Title Overlay: Lightning myth #1: Lightning never strikes the same place twice.

EC Meteorologist: "Lightning never strikes the same place twice” is one of weather’s most famous legends, -but it’s completely false. In fact, Canada’s tallest building, the CN tower, gets struck by lightning an average of 75 times per year. So lightning can and does strike the same place.

(Cycle through photos of objects getting struck by lightning; Image of CN tower getting struck (Full Screen)

EC Meteorologist: Remember, stay away from tall objects when thunder is roaring and lightning is nearby.

Title Overlay: Lightning Myth #2: Lightning only strike under a storm cloud.

EC Meteorologist: Did you know that lightning can strike more than 16 km away from a lightning storm? So even though you’re not directly underneath the lightning storm, you’re still within striking distance.

Photo of “out of blue” lightning strike with simple animation arrow measuring the distance outwards from the cloud images of lightning striking, dark clouds with adjacent blue skies (Full Screen).

EC Meteorologist: In fact, 2/3rd’s of lightning victims get struck ahead of or behind the storm.

(Sounds of thunder crashing)

(Lightning fatalities pie chart diagram (2/3 ahead/behind vs. 1/3 underneath) (on small TV)

EC Meteorologist: If you can hear thunder, you’re within striking distance so get to a safe place immediately.

(Sounds of thunder crashing)

EC Meteorologist: When thunder roars, go indoors! And stay there for at least 30 minutes after the last rumble.

Title Overlay: Lightning Myth #3: Trees are safe hiding places from lightning.

EC Meteorologist: You may think the safest place to be during a lightning storm is under a tree, in a tent or even under a small covered structure.

(Cycle through photos of inappropriate "hiding places" during lightning (on small TV)

EC Meteorologist: In reality, the safest place to be is in a fully enclosed building with plumbing and wiring. Another safe option is in a metal-enclosed vehicle with the windows up.

(Cycle through photos of safe places; buildings with electrical and plumbing and solid roofed cars. (on small TV)

EC Meteorologist: When it all comes down to it, the thing you have to remember is, "“When thunder roars, GO INDOORS!”

(Sounds of thunder crashing)

Title overlay: “When thunder roars, go indoors!”

Exit graphic: Environment Canada with website on widescreen

EC Meteorologist: For lots more information on lightning safety, please visit Environment Canada's page at www.ec.gc.ca/foudre-lightning.