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Lightning Policy
- Author:
- Reprint from US Youth Soccer
- Date Published:
- April 15, 2003
US YOUTH SOCCER – REGION IV – LIGHTNING POLICY
AS OF MAY 1, 1999
This lightning policy is a proactive and comprehensive one that may save the lives of athletes, coaching staff, and fans.
Therefore, the following policy should be adhered to without variation, as no game or practice is worth anyone’s life.
*Before each season coaching staff and administration should be made aware of the following policy.
1. At each event the athletic trainer, coach, and administrators should have chosen a “safe structure” the first choice is in a building, the second is any vehicle with a metal roof.
2. Athletic trainers should carefully monitor weather reports to help determine when to stop play and seek shelter and when to allow activity to continue.
3. Use of the “flash-to-bang method” in order to determine when to leave and when to return to the playing field.
4. When a decision to clear the field has been made, they must be cleared as quickly as possible. Athletic trainers, coaches, administrators and officials are responsible for moving people to “safe structures”.
5. The athletic trainer at any event will make the decision as to when to move inside and when to return. In the event that the athletic trainer is not on-sight the decision lies the with Head Coach or administrator.
Flash-to-Bang Method· When you see a flash start counting
· When you hear thunder stop
· Divide that counted number by five
· This tells you how far away the lightning was in miles
· Flash-to-Bang counts of 30 or less equals 6 miles or less indicate that people should be moved inside
· Return to play should not be considered until 30 minutes after the last flash or thunder Lightning Facts
· 7,741 people were killed by lightning in the US between 1940 and 1981
· Approximately 100 people are killed each year by lightning strikes in the US and 400-500 are injured
· Roughly 30 percent of people struck by lightning die
· Lightning strikes are unpredictable and can strike from a clear blue sky Information obtained from the April 1999 edition of the NATA news, as reported by Valerie Hunt