Summer lightning strikes spectacular and dangerous

As the weather heats up, so does the opportunity for summer storms. With pounding rain, lightning and the occasional hail, summer storms make all the difference between withering heat and comfortable warmth-but they can be dangerous, causing damage to property and to humans.
According to the University of Virginia Climatology Office, while large scale natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes and tornadoes grab most of the headlines, the most dangerous weather event and also one of the most common-is lightning.
Lightning is created when the positive and negative charges within a cloud become separated to the point that the insulation of air is exceeded and large amounts of electricity are then released. The electricity then flows out towards the ground and back up again, lighting up the sky.
While lightning can cause hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage to property, two cases of such occurred in Orange County in 1993 and 2002 as reported by the National Climatic Data Center, it can also cause damage, and in some cases death, to humans.
According to Chris Strong of the National Weather Service at Sterling, there have been no cases of injury or death due to lightning in Orange County or at least that have been reported to the National Weather Service.
According to Tom Joyce of the Orange County Emergency Medical Services, the local EMS has not seen a lightning strike victim in the last five years. However, they are fully trained to handle a patient should one arise.
ccording to the American Medical Association, lightning acts as a direct massive shock and can have widespread effects on the cardiovascular system as well as the neurological system. Victims may experience brain hemorrhaging and respiratory or cardiac arrest.
Injury from a lightning strike can occur in various ways including a direct strike, a contact strike where a person is touching something when it is struck by lightning, a side splash when lighting jumps from the object it struck to the nearest object, a ground strike when lightning strikes the ground and flows outward, and a blunt injury when a person is thrown from the lightning strike. So how does one avoid being struck by lightning? 
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), when thunder roars, go indoors. If thunder can be heard, lightning is close enough to pose a threat. Most lightning deaths occur ahead of storms or after storms have seemingly passed.
The NOAA recommends having a lightning safety plan to decide where you’ll go for safety and how long it will take to get there. They also suggest postponing any outdoor activities because there is no safe place to be outside during a lightning strike. If you must be outside, avoid open areas, stay away from isolated tall trees, towers or utility poles and stay away from metal conductors such as wires and fences. Also, get to a safe place such as a fully enclosed building, away from windows, avoid using a corded phone except in an emergency and don’t take a bath or shower during a storm because water pipes conduct electricity.
If someone is struck by lightning, the NOAA suggests calling 9-1-1 for help and giving first aid like CPR if the person is unresponsive or not breathing. According to the NOAA, lightning victims do not carry an electrical charge, are safe to touch and need urgent medical attention.
Remember, to avoid injury, “when thunder roars, go indoors,“ and enjoy the rain and natural wonder from the safety of your home.