Most victims of lightening are not hit by primary strikes. The majority of people who have been 'hit by lightening' have been struck by secondary, reflected/deflected, or ground voltage strikes. Few people, if any, could survive a direct, primary strike. I'm not a statistician, nor a meteorologist. I do know from storm seasons spent above treeline in the Rockies and other western North American ranges, that measures taken by groups to avoid being caught in a storm are far preferable than acute methods undertaken to minimize your the potential of a debilitating strike. Much contention surrounds theories of 'cones of protection' and other ways of trying to hide out an electrical storm in relatively exposed places. It should bear consideration that spreading the group out is a survival strategy...that one or more of you will survive the strike and thus be able to render aid and comfort to the victims. While these acute, crisis-mode survival tips are worth considering, and may well save one's life, they are also prone to anecdotal source and conflicting evidence of efficacy. Someone gave me a copy of the "Worst Case Scenario Handbook" last Xmas. It reports to show me how to jump from a speeding car, out of a sixth floor window and into a dumpster, and how to land a small plane w/o any prior training or experience. I'm not likely to attempt any of these. Nor will I feel any particular comfort in having read that book in the event of actually facing these situations. In the end, I would think it wiser to learn how to read weather systems, and how to gather local knowledge about the behavior of electrical storms and one's likely exposure. Will Jennings *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Thu Mar 29 2001 - 14:08:04 PST
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