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- Flash Flood in Las Vegas, NV
- (August 2003)
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- Eastbound lane of I-20 bridge near Pecos, TX
- (April 2004)
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Flash flood safety can be
summarized simply..."Turn Around Don't Drown!"
Statistics show that most flash flood fatalities and injuries can be
avoided by not driving or walking into flood waters. The National Weather
Service's safety awareness program "Turn
Around Don't Drown" calls attention to the dangers of driving or
walking into floods. Swift moving water can easily sweep a wader or
an automobile downstream and into trouble. Find an alternate route around
flood waters or else wait at least 15 to 30 minutes until high water
recedes. A little patience might easily save your life.
Lightning safety can also be summarized simply...move indoors or away
from exposed back country areas well before storms get too close.
The safest action is to move indoors when a thunderstorm approaches.
Most people struck by lightning simply waited too long to seek indoor
shelter or else didn't realize that the lightning danger had moved so
close. To stay safe, you may just have to cut short the round of golf,
suspend the baseball game or soccer match for a while, or else cut short
your hike to a mountain peak or long exposed ridge.
Here's some other flash flood and lightning safety precautions to keep
you safe...
 DURING PERIODS OF
THUNDERSTORMS, ALWAYS REMAIN ALERT TO HEAVY RAINS IN YOUR IMMEDIATE AREA,
OR UPSTREAM FROM YOUR LOCATION. IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE RAINING AT YOUR
LOCATION FOR FLASH FLOODING TO OCCUR.
PLAN YOUR CAMPING SITE CAREFULLY
AND AVOID STREAM AREAS WHERE WATER CAN RUSH DOWNSTREAM FROM DISTANT RAIN.
PLAN AN ESCAPE ROUTE TO HIGHER GROUND.
KEEP KIDS AWAY FROM DRAINAGE
CHANNELS IN THE CITIES AND RURAL DITCHES DURING THUNDERSTORMS. REMEMBER,
DITCHES ARE DEADLY.
REMEMBER, ITS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE
DANGEROUS FLASH FLOODING AT NIGHT.
IN SOME CASES, THUNDERSTORMS MAY
NOT PRODUCE ENOUGH RAIN TO FORCE PEOPLE INDOORS EARLY ENOUGH. A WEAK
THUNDERSTORM MAY PRODUCE SEVERAL LIGHTNING STRIKES 5 TO 10 MINUTES BEFORE
IT YIELDS ANY RAIN. DO NOT GET CAUGHT OFF-GUARD.
PLAN TO COMPLETE OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
BEFORE THE DAILY PERIOD OF THUNDERSTORMS. THIS MIGHT BE AS EARLY AS 11 AM
OR NOONTIME OVER THE FAVORED MOUNTAIN RIDGES WHERE THUNDERSTORMS FIRST
FORM IN THE SUMMER TIME.
MOVE EVERYONE OFF THE ATHLETIC
FIELD, INCLUDING THE FANS, INTO A BUILDING OR INTO THEIR CARS OR TRUCKS IN
PLENTY OF TIME. TOO OFTEN TEAMS AND THEIR FANS ARE EXPOSED UNNECESSARILY
TO LIGHTNING DANGERS WHILE TRYING TO SQUEEZE IN EXTRA GAME TIME.
YOU MAY FIND DETAILS ON THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TURN AROUND DON'T DROWN SAFETY CAMPAIGN AT WEB
SITE www.srh.noaa.gov/tadd
THIS IS ALSO NATIONAL LIGHTNING
SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK. FOR INFORMATION VISIT WEB SITE www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov
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weather.gov 
