Lightning Crouch

[Ron Altier]

Many people here in CO climb mountains, and many make it a goal to climb all in the state over 14K feet. There are more than 50 of them. Storms come up very quickly and you are 5 times more likely to get struck by lightning up a mountain.

 

The Lightning Crouch

 

You may have heard that if you can't find a shelter, you should lie down flat on your stomach. Well, doing that is NOT safe at all. If lightning hits someplace near you and travels through the ground, it could pass through your whole body and electrocute you.

Lightning safety experts have invented a "lightning crouch" that is very important to know about if you are caught in a thunder storm and you can't find a shelter. If you think that this position is hard to do, you are right. It is. So practice it until you can stay in it for several minutes, because it could save your life. There are several reasons for doing the lightning crouch.

 

Crouch down on the ground ON YOU TIP TOES and TOUCH YOUR HEELS

 

- In the lightning crouch, you are a smaller target. Lightning usually hits the tallest thing around and this is one time that you don't want to be tall. Remember that it is not safe to lie flat on the ground.

- With your heels together, if lightning hits the ground, electricity goes through the closest foot, up to your heel and then transfers to the other heel and then goes back to the ground again. If you don't put your heels together, lightning could go through your heart and possibly kill you.

 

[Gunny]

Some of us if we tried to do this, and did not indeed get struck by lightning, will spend months recovering from the position required.

 

[Ron Altier]

Wait a minute, I bet you I could hold that position for 5 maybe 10 seconds!!

[John Morris]

Ron, that is invaluable information, thank you. I hope you don't mind, I went ahead and put an image up to explain what you are talking about. I edited your topic and inserted the graphic.

[HandyDan]

That stance must be the one before putting your head between your knees and kissing.............................

[Gene Howe]

Chi Chi Rodriguez was asked what he did to protect himself during a lightning storm. His reply was "Hold a #1 iron as high as I can because, not even God can hit a #1."

[Ron Altier]

John, Thanks for the graphic, I looked for one when I read the article. Yours clearly shows the position and the people who could use it most........golfers.

[Smallpatch]

So you are suggesting getting in to that crouch as soon as you see the clouds appear or waiting until you hear the thunder and see the lightning. I'm afraid my reactions and or timing is not quick enough to keep me alive so maybe I should detour around your awful state of Colo. where all those people are killed every year on a golf course in the moutains. I've always wondered whats so great playing golf in an altitude that makes it hard to breathe. The last time we drove up the Pikes Peak my son passed out then my wife did also as she was trying to get him out of range of all those golf balls.

[Gunny]

I am going to go with just stay off the golf course.  Like I know how to golf anyway.