Kaiyi Guide: NWS Lightning Safety Guidelines for Outdoor Venues (EN)

The National Weather Service (NWS) has implemented a voluntary recognition program to help large outdoor venues, including those on university campuses, better protect staff and patrons from the dangers of lightning. Eligible sites include outdoor sporting arenas, concert venues, water parks, raceways, and amusement parks. The NWS recognizes the efforts of outdoor venues that follow these guidelines to protect staff and patrons from the dangers of lightning. These guidelines may be satisfied by incorporating data/services provided by America's Weather Industry: Information Reception:

The venue must install a locally-run lightning detection system with a display unit on site or subscribe to a commercial notification system. The facility must also have continuous access to information about NWS warnings during public events. Decision Support Standards: The venue must have a written lightning safety plan that includes written instructions on how to contact local emergency management and a weather service provider (e.g., provider from America’s Weather Industry or NWS). Public Notification Plan: The venue must have several means to notify its patrons that a lightning threat exists.

Options include outdoor warning sirens, a public address system, internal television/radio broadcast, text/email message alerts, use of social media, and staff announcements. Protection Program: The venue must have means to shelter patrons. This would include providing direction to substantial lightning-safe structures or access to vehicles, a written emergency operations safety plan to evacuate the venue, and signs indicating where shelters are located . The venue should investigate lightning protection equipment that intercepts lightning and diverts the discharge away from patrons and staff. Education: The NWS can provide lightning safety education materials.

The venue should ensure it informs patrons of lightning precautions it has taken and the actions patrons should take when notified of a lightning threat. This program is designed to help reduce the risk of lightning related threats through improved preparedness on the part of facility and event staff and emergency managers. It also designed to increase public awareness of the hazards associated with thunderstorms and lightning. University emergency managers are encouraged to utilize the lightning safety toolkit to develop a lightning safety plan. Those who complete the process will be recognized for their proactive efforts in lightning safety.

For more information on NWS support for special events, visit: https://www.weather.gov/media/stormready/resources/specialevents.pdf To find out more about this program, contact Charlie Woodrum at: H charles.woodrum@noaa.gov H To access the Lightning Safety Toolkit visit: H www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov Page 1 of 8

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Lightning Safety Toolkit 0B efore the Event These guidelines may be satisfied by incorporating data/services provided by America's Weather Industry. (Insert name of designated facility official and their title) will ensure a weather situational awareness plan F 1 F is in place the day before and the day of the scheduled event. Staff will monitor the local weather via three or more of the following services: television news coverage, the Internet, mobile devices, cable and satellite weather programming, commercial services, NOAA weather radio, and National Weather Service (NWS) forecasts.

NWS Advisories, Watches, Warnings and Hazardous Weather Outlooks (HWO) can be monitored at H http://www.weather.gov/ (insert H local office identifier). Thunderstorms and severe weather forecasts also are online at H http://www.spc.noaa.gov H . If thunderstorms are forecast for the day of the event, officials will review the safety plan before the event and identify the responsible officials and chain of command to implement the safety plan. Specifically, officials will designate a weather watcher for the event who will notify officials of the status of any thunderstorm that may threaten the safety of the event.

Public Information If thunderstorms are in the forecast, officials will notify patrons via the (insert communication method) and over the public address system at the venue prior to the event beginning. Lightning safety guidelines and evacuation procedures will be printed in event programs. Designated Lightning-Safe Structure or Vehicles (Insert list of specific designated fully enclosed, grounded buildings to be used for patron shelter assignments.) If a substantial building is not available, enclosed motor vehicles can provide shelter as long as patrons do not touch the metal framework during the thunderstorm. No place outside is safe if lightning is in the vicinity.

Partially enclosed vending areas and picnic shelters are not safe. If no safe structure is available, direct patrons to stay away from the tallest objects (trees, light poles, flag poles), metal objects (fences or bleachers), standing pools of water, and open fields. If patrons are still in transit to the venue, encourage them to remain in their vehicles until the lightning threat has ended. 1 Situational Awareness Example: Site has a computer with internet access designated for monitoring local weather web sites. A television is tuned to a channel dedicated to weather. A lightning detection system display unit is tested to ensure it is operable prior to the event.

All weather reception and communication methods are tested to ensure functionality. Page 2 of 8

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1B During the Event The weather watcher will use weather monitoring and lightning detection tools along with local observations 2 F to help determine the proximity of lightning and which safety actions to implement. The direction and speed of an approaching thunderstorm should be accounted for along with locally developing storms that may form nearby or overhead. If lightning is in the vicinity, the following procedures are recommended (please note that lightning radii will vary based on venue size, capacity, and the amount of time it takes patrons to get to safe structures. Distances can be modified as local emergency management deems appropriate):

F 2 When lightning is detected within (15) miles of the venue: Weather watcher notifies management of elevated lightning monitoring. Management notifies the event officials. Venue management notifies all staff members of the potential for a delay. Designated staff members are stationed to direct patrons to safe structures. An evacuation of the facility will begin if it appears the thunderstorm is moving toward the venue. If a more organized thunderstorm or cluster of thunderstorms (supercells, squall lines, bow echoes) are headed for the venue, a 30 minute lead-time or more should be considered for an evacuation.

These are the major impacting events with high lightning counts where an advanced delay or postponement of the event is justified. (see PA system evacuation announcements). In these cases, the weather watcher or lightning detection system operator should estimate the speed and direction of the storm movement to determine when they will enter an (8) mile radius of the venue. When lightning is detected within (12) miles of the venue: Weather watcher notifies venue management of impending lightning threat. Management notifies the event officials. Venue management informs all event staff of an impending delay. Staff members are stationed to direct the crowd to safe structures.

2 Without technology available, the best method for local observations to determine if lightning is within an unsafe range is to listen for thunder, watch for lightning, and remember that “When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors!” Page 3 of 8

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An evacuation of the facility begins or continues. If more organized thunderstorms (supercells, squall lines, and bow echoes) are headed for the venue, an evacuation will be necessary. (see PA system evacuation announcements) When lightning is detected within (8) miles of the venue: An event delay is implemented when the weather watcher notifies venue management of nearby lightning threat and, if applicable, the facility warning signal is activated. Management notifies the event officials. Event officials suspend activities. Venue management informs all event staff that the event has been suspended due to lightning in the area.

Staff members are positioned to direct the crowd to safe structures. An evacuation of the venue begins (see PA system evacuation announcements). All patrons are directed to the nearest lightning-safe structure (see designated shelters). All event performers and officials will be evacuated to pre-designated safe structures. If a severe thunderstorm or tornado watch is in effect: A watch indicates that conditions are favorable for severe weather to develop. The weather watcher will communicate this information to the venue management, indicating that elevated thunderstorm monitoring is occurring.

Vital information to be shared will include the threats with the watch and the time that it is in effect until. If a severe thunderstorm or tornado warning is in effect: A warning means that severe weather has been detected and may be imminent in the locale. The weather watcher will communicate this information to the venue management, indicating that the thunderstorm may be imminent. Vital information to be shared will include the threats with the storms and the time that the warning is in effect until. If the threat is imminent, an evacuation of the venue will take place.

If the weather watcher has questions about a storm, they can contact a weather service provider at (insert provider phone number) . The NWS is especially concerned that you are prepared for hazardous weather, and will want to talk with your service provider from America’s Weather Industry well before the event. Your service provider can contact the local NWS office at (insert office phone number). Page 4 of 8

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