Lightening Strikes, what do you do?

[ref5678]

in my opinion you see lighting you get the players and your partner off that field ASAP. And an intersting fact if you can see it your in striking distance

[devilsadvocate]

For those of you that have a lightning meter, what is the magic number(miles away) for pulling the kids off the field?

[bluezebra]

If I remember correctly, it's a 1000 yards per second from the time of the flash until the sound of the thunder.

Bob

[GarthB]

Sound travels at different speed in different media. It travels the fastest in solids and the slowest in gases. It will travel at a different speed in different gases.

The speed of sound in air can be determined by:

v = (331 + 0.610t) m/s where t is the temperature in degrees Celsius, or v = 20.0 ms-1K-½, where T is the temperature in Kelvin.

This is a very general "rule of thumb formula" for use by lay persons. It usually equates to about 339.7 meters per second.

It does not take into consideration the altitude nor the pressure (usually measured in Pascals or millibars). Both of these factors will effect the speed of sound, but not significantly for this topic.

GB

[Chris Winn]

Growing up in Tennessee, where thunderstorms are frequent in the summertime, I was always taught to count the seconds from the time lightning is seen, until thunder is heard. Legend has it that the storm is 1 mile away for each second between lightning and thunder. Anything 7 miles or less is said to be within the danger zone.

Regardless of any method you use, scientific or redneck, common sense should always be your primary measuring stick. If you sense the slightest hint of danger, get them off the field. If a coach is giving you a hard time about holding up the game, just remember that the same coach would sue you and the league for everything he could get if his son got hit by lightning. Take no chances!!

[GarthB]

In an average climate and average elevation, each second that passes between seeing the lightening and the sound reaching your ears indicates a rough distance of 1100 feet. We operate in an area that is thick with summer thunder storms. Our rule of thumb is that we start counting when we see the lightening and if we hear the sound before we reach 25 (a little over five miles), we pull the kids immediately.

We do not fool around with lightening. At least three people are struck each year by lightening in this area and few survive.

If a coach protests we are being overly cautious, I tell him the alternative is for him to stand in center field holding a metal bat high over his head and let us know when the lightening is close enough to vacate the field.

I haven't had any takers yet.

[Rog]

re: "In Denver, we have been get lightning storms about every night. If we stopped for every storm that was close, we would never get a game in. I think, unfortunately, there is some risk in playing baseball in a state where lightning is commonplace. However, I do my best to get everyone off when I think there is real danger. Unfortunately, its hard to tell when to keep on playing or not."

You asked a very legitimate question; which, numerous people all gave you the same basic answer = get the he!! off the field and into a protected area!!!!!

http://www.lightningstorm.com/ls2/fa...86347487683025
How far can lightning travel?
Typically, lightning travels 10 miles or less. However, lightning has been observed to travel 20 miles or more, often extending up to 10 miles away from the cloud that formed the lightning.

Now try checking here:
http://205.156.54.206/search.html

type in: Lightning
and watch how many links come up,
read them - PLEASE!
For everyone's safety.....

* It was 1997, 2nd inning of a varsity game. The sky hardly had a cloud in it. When all of a sudden, a bolt of lightning hits the right center section of the outfield fence.
The right fielder came off the filed with his hair standing straight up!!!!!
That field was empty in less than 45 seconds, and not one official or coach had to say: "Get off the field!" Sometimes we just have to remember - it's only a game!
Lightning rarely loses its game........................


[Edited by Rog on Dec 17th, 2001 at 06:25 PM]

[PeteBooth]

Originally posted by Rog

re: "In Denver, we have been get lightning storms about every night. If we stopped for every storm that was close, we would never get a game in. I think, unfortunately, there is some risk in playing baseball in a state where lightning is commonplace. However, I do my best to get everyone off when I think there is real danger. Unfortunately, its hard to tell when to keep on playing or not."

You asked a very legitimate question; which, numerous people all gave you the same basic answer = get the he!! off the field and into a protected area!!!!!

Rog I'm not going to play Mr. Spock out there and try and figure out how close the lighting is and at what point it becomes dangerous. All of a sudeden the lightening could be traveling at WARP speed.

Bottom Line in all this is: get the kids off the field. Now as you mentioned some live in states where you have that thunderstorm period , so perhaps a written policy should be in place for those states to protect one from liability.

Unfortunately, no matter how safe you think it is, it only takes one accident and IMO a baseball game isn't worth the risk.

Pete Booth

[Ump20]

Originally posted by PeteBooth
Originally posted by Rog

re: "In Denver, we have been get lightning storms about every night. If we stopped for every storm that was close, we would never get a game in. I think, unfortunately, there is some risk in playing baseball in a state where lightning is commonplace. However, I do my best to get everyone off when I think there is real danger. Unfortunately, its hard to tell when to keep on playing or not."

You asked a very legitimate question; which, numerous people all gave you the same basic answer = get the he!! off the field and into a protected area!!!!!

Rog I'm not going to play Mr. Spock out there and try and figure out how close the lighting is and at what point it becomes dangerous. All of a sudeden the lightening could be traveling at WARP speed.

Bottom Line in all this is: get the kids off the field. Now as you mentioned some live in states where you have that thunderstorm period , so perhaps a written policy should be in place for those states to protect one from liability.

Unfortunately, no matter how safe you think it is, it only takes one accident and IMO a baseball game isn't worth the risk.

Pete Booth

I think Pete's advice on a written policy is quite sound. I know on Long Island there was a Connie Mack level player killed by a lightening strike on the field about 15 years ago. Our Association requires us to stop the game for at least 20 minutes if there is any "visible" lightening. In situations where the weather forecast or the weather itself indicates that possibility I will mention it in the pre-game. "Coach, if we see lightening, we will stop this game as required by our Association for the safety of all participants". That might not be the exact words but that is the message. If the lightening after 20 minutes clearance recurs we will usually end the game. Jim/NYC

[Skahtboi]

The down side of a written policy is that it doesn't protect the injured (or worse, dead) player in the event of a "freak" accident. Common sense is the best guide! I have always used the policy that if I can see lightning, then I am clearing the field. That doesn't mean sitting in the dugouts, either. That means to your cars or some other safe "structure." Every year I take a lot of flak from coaches and fans concerning this, and still I am resolved to err on the side of safety.

Scott

[Ump20]

Originally posted by Skahtboi
The down side of a written policy is that it doesn't protect the injured (or worse, dead) player in the event of a "freak" accident. Common sense is the best guide! I have always used the policy that if I can see lightning, then I am clearing the field. That doesn't mean sitting in the dugouts, either. That means to your cars or some other safe "structure." Every year I take a lot of flak from coaches and fans concerning this, and still I am resolved to err on the side of safety.

Scott

You should not have to take a lot of flak from anyone. I would venture to guess that one of the reasons for some of the objections you face is that some other umpires either lack that same degree of Common sense or allow themselves to be pressured by coaches, fans, or players. I agree exactly if you see lightening suspend the game and clear the field. Also metal cleats and metal bats don't help the situation. Jim/NYC

[Doug]

the motto all of my mentors told me to use, and use themselves, is "it is better to be safe then sorry. Do you want to be responsible for not calling a game and having someone get struck by lightning and seriously injured, and then when it is investigated, have people tell the head of you board/Athletic association, athletic director, or commisioner see that. We had a good discussion on the bb forum about how you never know who is watching, and somone important might be, and might respect and think you are a good reff because you have the smarts to call a game when the conditions warrent, think about it,

Doug