Helpful tips for staying safe during lightning storms

When there's lightning, it's best to stay indoors. But if you're caught in a storm while you're outside, here's what you can do to stay safe: 

If you are able to hear thunder then lighting is close enough to strike you so move inside a building or hard top vehicle as soon as possible after you hear thunder. 

Immediately leave elevated spaces — avoid mountains, hills, telephone poles as these are the most likely places to be struck by lightning.

Avoid bleachers, large trees, convertible cars, small sheds and open areas.

Once you’ve found safety, listen for thunder and remain put for at least 30 minutes after the last crackle of thunder.

Neither water or metal draw lightning strikes, but they do conduct electricity. So, it’s safer to avoid both if a strike happens to occur

If you find yourself indoors enjoying the rain (and thunder), here's how you can stay safe...

Avoid anything connected to an electrical outlet, corded phones and desktop computers as you want to limit your contact with electricity during a storm.

Avoid washing your hands, as well as showering or taking a bath as a lightning strike can travel throughout a building through the plumbing.

Electricity from a lightning strike can travel through metal bars and wires found in concrete walls or flooring.

Lightning has also been noted on rare occasions to come through cracks in windows and doors.