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People
can be electrocuted when they touch high-tension wires
that fall during a storm or are struck by lightning. Take
care when rescuing someone who has been electrocuted so
you do not become a victim as well. Do not remove the
victim from the electric source until the power source
has been shut off. If you can't turn off the source of
current, use a board, wooden stick, rope or other non-insulating
device to pull the victim away from the source of the
electric current. Make sure your hands and feet are dry
and you are standing on a dry surface.
SIGNS
Slight shocking sensations, muscle spasms, seizures, interrupted
breathing, irregular heart beats, third degree burns (at
the spots where the electricity enters and exits the body),
unconsciousness.
FIRST
AID
CALL
IMMEDIATELY FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL ASSISTANCE!
While
waiting for emergency assistance:
Check
for heartbeat and breathing. Feel for a pulse along the
neck, under the earlobe, on the chest or on the wrist.
Watch the rise and fall of the chest to see if the person
is breathing. If no heartbeat and no breathing, do CPR.
If there is a heartbeat, but no breathing, immediately
start rescue breathing. Check
for burns and treat as third degree burns.
LIGHTNING
SAFETY TIPS
Outdoors is the most dangerous place to be during a lightning
storm. When lightning is seen or thunder is heard, or
when dark clouds are observed, quickly move indoors
or into your vehicle and remain there until well after
the lightning storm ends.
Be
the lowest point. Lightning hits the tallest object.
In the mountains if you are above treeline, you ARE the
highest object around. Quickly get below treeline and
get into a grove of small trees. Crouch down if you are
in an exposed area.
If you can't get to a shelter, stay away from trees.
If there is no shelter, crouch in the open, with
your head on your knees and lean up on the balls of your
feet. Your path to ground is decreased and you are no
longer as tall. If you lay on the ground you could be
more severely shocked if lightning strikes near you.
Avoid leaning against vehicles. Get off bicycles
and motorcycles.
Get out of the water. It's a great conducter of
electricity. Stay off the beach and out of small boats
or canoes. If caught in a boat, crouch down in the center
of the boat away from metal hardware.
Avoid metal! Drop metal backpacks, stay away from
clothes lines, fences, exposed sheds and electrically
conductive elevated objects. Don't hold on to metal items
such golf clubs, fishing rods, tennis rackets or tools.
Large metal objects can conduct lightning. Small metal
objects can cause burns.
Move away from a group of people. Stay several yards
away from other people. Don't share a bleacher bench or
huddle in a group.
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