What Would I Do to Survive A Thunderstorm

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Thor, the God of Thunder, looks amazing when he makes his grand entrance. What with all the lightning and glorious thunder. The self-proclaimed strongest Avenger looks really cool and all that but there’s something pretty scary about lightning and thunder. Lightning looks awesome from a distance but it’s pretty dangerous up close. It even gets dangerously crazy during thunderstorms. That said, we need to know what to do to survive a severe thunderstorm.

According to Ready, among all weather-related hazards, lighting has caused the most injuries and deaths. However, it’s not just lightning that you have to worry about when it comes to thunderstorms. These natural calamities also bring strong winds and precipitation, lots of them.

 

 

Preparing for A Thunderstorm

If you’re making a thunderstorm preparedness plan, you’ll have to do more than just prepare for lightning. You also need to prepare for hail, heavy rain, flood, powerful winds, and even tornadoes. Then there’s the possibility of power failure.

Hail can be an inch or even larger. They’ll definitely hurt if you’re hit with one of them. Obviously, they can cause damage to your property. Heavy rain can soften the soil and cause trees to fall. Worst of all, it can cause flash flooding. The violent winds are also dangerous. They can blow your roof off and send flying debris everywhere.

 

Replenish Your Supplies

Once you get wind of a brewing storm, you should take a look at your pantry. If you think you have enough for a week or so, you’ll probably be fine. But if the storm causes damages that will affect you for an extended length of time, your supply may not be enough.

If you don’t have enough at home when a storm warning was announced, you have to get as much supplies as you can. Long lines in grocery stores are a common sight after a disaster. These are usually the people that did not have enough food and water stored in their homes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjt5jXkMPBI&t=31s

ReadyWise Entree 120 Serving Emergency Food Bucket is a good buy if you have money to spare. For just under $300, you get 120 servings of different dishes including pasta, soup, rice meals, and even pot pie. These entrée servings are freeze-dried and packed in Metallyte pouches that helps keep them edible for up to 25 years.

It’s possible that the water grid can be affected by a severe thunderstorm. Stockpile clean drinking water. You can buy cases of bottled water or fill BPA-free containers like the WaterBrick Stackable Containers with clean tap water.

A true prepper knows to stockpile food, water and other supplies that’ll last for years. If you have a full pantry, you’re in a better place than most of us. Not everyone can afford to buy in bulk right but don’t let that stop you.

Here’s a piece of advice. What you can do to build your pantry is to buy a few extra pieces every grocery run. That one extra canned meat and bottled water you buy and add to your pantry each time would eventually become twenty or more.

 

Make A Plan

If you’ve been following our website, you know we’ve been preaching about emergency preparedness plans for quite a while now. That’s because preparation is vital to one’s survival. IN other words, prepare if you want to live.

Your emergency plan should include specific tasks that each member of the household should do before the thunderstorm rolls in. For example, the mother is in charge of checking if the lights and electrical devices are off and unplugged. The kids will make sure all the windows and doors are closed and locked while the dad will start boarding up the windows. Someone should also be responsible for your pets.

Once all the last-minute tasks and the final sweep of the house are done, everyone should then converge to the designated safe place. It can be a room in the middle of your home or in the basement. It would be better if you have a bunker or storm cellar.

You’ll also need an evacuation plan. Know where to go and how to get there the fastest. You should also familiarize yourself with other routes to the evacuation center or your bug out shelter in case the best choice is compromised.

Finally, practice your emergency plan regularly. Once they know have the plan down pat, you won’t panic that much when the real thing comes along.

 

Always Check the Weather

As long as you watch the news on TV or listen to the radio, you should be updated with the weather. The moment that the weather channel or station mentions something about a developing storm, you should be on your guard.

Be wary of weather alerts. The sooner you hear about them, the better you can prepare and sooner you can evacuate if necessary. It would be better if you have a weather radio like Eton’s Scorpion II Multi-Powered Weather Radio. This small device will provide forecasts and notify you of weather alerts. It can be powered by electricity, solar energy, or by hand-crank power.

 

Prepare Your Home

We’ve tackled last-minute preparations a bit. The important tasks you need to do before the thunderstorm comes include closing all entry points and reinforcing them. Install boards to prevent flying debris from breaking your windows. Don’t forget to attach braces to your doors, especially the garage door.

You also need to clean up outside. Take all movable items inside the house. Those that are too heavy to carry should be nailed or bolted to the floor. If that’s not possible just tie them to a solid structure with strong rope or chain.

Trim your trees. It will take some time if you have to climb the tree and hack the branches. A faster way of trimming your trees is to use a pruner or pole chainsaw. The Sun Joe SWJ800E 8-Inch 6.5-Amp Telescoping Electric Pole Chain Saw can reach up to 15 feet. Its 6.5-amp motor allows it to cut through 7.5-inch thick branches. It will definitely make the job faster.

Get rid of dead branches aside from the ones you just cut off. Strong winds can pick them up and hurl them at houses or cars. Keep them in a safe place for the time being.

 

Offer A Hand

Don’t forget about your neighbors. If you do your prepping right, you should still have ample time after finishing your last-minute storm preparation. Ask your neighbors if they need help boarding their windows, trimming their trees, or clearing their yard. Remember, the storm can blow their stuff to your house.

 

 

What to Do During A Thunderstorm

All the prepping you did will be for naught if you make mistake after mistake while the thunderstorm is right over your head. To survive a thunderstorm, you need to take the right steps.

 

Stay Indoors

Once the thunderstorm reaches your area, it’s imperative that you stay indoors. Whether you’re at home or in a storm shelter, you must stay inside until the storm is over. Don’t go rushing out just because you forgot to bring the laundry inside. They’re a lost cause. It’s better to just buy new bed sheets than to pay the hospital bill.

When you’re inside, don’t forget to close all the doors and windows. Remember, thunderstorms are often accompanied by strong winds. An open window or weak garage door is all the wind needs to blow your house away.

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An underground bunker or storm cellar is the safest place to be to survive a thunderstorm. If you don’t have one, you can stay in your basement. If that’s still not an option, hide in a small room in the middle of your house.

 

 

Gather Your Gear

Before settling in your safe place, grab some stuff you’ll need to weather the storm. Ideally, you should have supplies and gear already placed in your safe room. This way, all you need to worry about after all the last-minute preps is to get to safety.

If you have enough time, it won’t hurt to get more supplies. Who knows? Your house might cave in and trap you in the basement. Those extra bags of chips and bottles of water will come in pretty handy.

Also, grab your bug out bags before heading to the secure location. It’s good to have them nearby. Some of the gear or tools you should keep in your safe room and have in your grab bag include a flashlight or camping lantern like the Pocket Light Collapsible Solar Lantern by Frog & CO. If power goes out, it will be dark in the basement.

You could also use wool blankets, thermal blankets, warm clothes and even sleeping bags to fight the cold. An emergency whistle like the Guardian 5-In-1 Survival Whistle will help rescuers pinpoint where you are. Oh and don’t forget your phones, HAM radio, and weather radio, as well as your powerbank and extra batteries. Just make sure to keep anything metallic away from you.

Top Storm Survival Gear You Need | Photo by iiievgeniy/Bigstock

 

Wear A Helmet

Don’t think that you’re completely safe inside your home. The violent winds can still do some damage. Wear a helmet to keep your head safe from flying or falling objects. If you don’t have a helmet, cover your head with a thick pillow.

 

Keep Communication Lines Open

You’ll want to check on your relatives and friends. You also need a way to call for help in case of an emergency. Using your corded phone during a thunderstorm may not be the smartest idea. A smartphone, however, is safe to use. The problem with smartphones is that they depend on electricity and internet. If the power and internet grid goes down due to the storm, you may have a hard time calling for help.

Power failure can be solved by having a powerbank or extra phone battery. If you’re phone runs out of juice, you can use them to power up. Another option is to have one of those old school amateur radios like the BaoFeng Tech BF-F8HP HAM Radio.

These devices are dependable during any crisis. They’re even more important if the lightning causes electromagnetic pulse or EMP damage. You probably already know that EMP can shut down electronic devices. It’s a good thing that HAM and other two-way radios will not be affected.

 

If You’re Not At Home

If you’re at school or work and you still have time, go home immediately. It would be better to be with your family at a time like this. If going home is not on the menu, stay where you are. Staying in your school or office building will be a lot safer than getting caught outside.

In case you’re out in the open, you should find the nearest secure place. Sheds and trees are not safe. Your goal is to take cover in a sturdy shelter like a building, house or store.  If there are none, find a ditch and lie down covering your head. Stay as close to the ground as possible to prevent lightning from targeting you or the wind from sweeping you away.

 

If You’re On the Road

The Doors was probably not thinking about going out for a ride during a thunderstorm when they made Riders On the Storm back in the early 70s. I hope no one has taken the song literally since.

It’s not true that cyclists or motorcycle riders are safer during a thunderstorm because they’re bike are smaller compared to other vehicles. Bicycles and motorbikes are mostly made of metal, which conducts electricity. Plus, when you’re riding, your head is the highest point. That makes it a prime target, especially if you’re in an open area with few trees.

If you’re unfortunate to be on the road when a thunderstorm hits, your best move is to get off it. Find shelter immediately. Look for a sturdy building, park your car or motorcycle then take cover inside the building. If you have a bike, you can probably take it inside but leave it where it’s far from you and other people. You don’t want to be clutching you bike during a thunderstorm.

Don’t let yourself get wet from the rain. Your soaked clothes could lead to hypothermia if it gets dangerously cold. If you do get wet, find a way to dry yourself up. A thermal blanket or a body warmer would be nice in this scenario.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00A3IwMU4mc

Always pack these survival items for warmth in your vehicle or in your backpack if you’re riding a bike. The LifeShield® Warmth & Outdoor Shelter Kit by Frog & CO comes with two body warmers that last for 20 hours. If the storm lasts that long or even longer, you can also use the 2-person tube tent, tact bivvy, and emergency poncho to stay warm.

Lightning and the cold are not the only things you should worry about when you’re outside. The strong winds can send debris flying through your windshield. The rains can also soften the ground and cause trees to be uprooted with the help of the wind.

 

When You’re Struck by Lightning

All the preparations and safety precautions we’ve been talking about is mainly to keep anyone from getting hurt. But as accidents go, you’ll never know.

In case someone is struck by lightning, you need not panic and should act quickly. First, call 911. Check if it is safe to approach the victim. If you’re with the victim, move him to a safer place.

Aside from the burns, the victim may suffer from cardiac arrest. Immediate medical assistance is necessary for the victim to stay alive. Your first aid training will come in handy in this situation. If the victim needs to be resuscitated, give him or her CPR. He will also need to be treated for shock. Lay him down and place his head slightly lower than the rest of his body.

Make sure you have a first aid kit at home and in your everyday carry kit. It pays to be always prepared wherever you are. Adventure Medical Kit Ultralight/Watertight Medical Kit Pro comes with a CPR mask. This lets you perform CPR safely. It also has items for treating wounds, sprains, and fractures. Plus, the bag is waterproof.

 

Staying Safe After the Storm

The danger doesn’t stop even after the storm leaves. Be extra wary of your surroundings if you wish to survive a thunderstorm and its aftermath.

 

Wait for Instructions

If there is no medical emergency or a need to evacuate, stay inside after the storm. Once it has passed, you’ll be tempted to go out immediately to see any damages. This is not always the wise decision.

Keep listening to your radio and wait for official announcements from local authorities. Listen to weather forecasts, too. There’s the possibility of flash flooding so wait until they know if it’s safe to go outside.

If you do have an emergency, call for help immediately. Ask for advice whether you should wait for a medical emergency team to come or if you should go to the hospital.

 

Check on Your Family and Friends

If you’re worried about your loved ones and close friends, they’re probably worried about you, as well. If everything is alright with your family, give them a call. Check your parents, other relatives, friends, and neighbors if they’re okay. Some of them may need immediate help.

The same way, you’re informing them that you’re fine. This will call them down since they don’t have to worry about you anymore.

 

Watch Your Step

Once you do get to go outside, be careful. Don’t go out barefoot or wearing thin flip flops. There might be shattered glass or other sharp debris on the ground. If you really need to go out, wear a pair of shoes with thick soles that don’t puncture easy. A pair of hiking or combat boots should be useful in this situation.

If you have traction cleats, put them on. The ground may be slippery or muddy. It wouldn’t look good to survive a thunderstorm unscathed and get injured because you slipped. The Frog Tracks Stability Hiking Traction Cleats by Frog & CO helps keep you safe from embarrassing slips and hurtful falls. The spiral metal coils are wrapped around flexible rubber that is easy to put on and remove. The traction cleats also fit most shoe sizes.

 

Wear Protection

That helmet or head gear you put on during the thunderstorm? Keep it on when you go outside. Even if the strong winds have gone, there may be debris hanging on the trees or on your roof. A little nudge or a slight burst of wind could dislodge the debris and hit your head.

Aside from boots and a helmet, you should wear thick and long clothes and a pair of work gloves. Long-sleeved shirts and pants will help prevent scratches and cuts to your arms and legs, respectively.

 

Don’t Touch Anything

Watch out for toppled power lines. If there is one nearby, don’t attempt to go near it or touch anything within the vicinity. There might be a live wire and you’ll end up being fried if you can’t keep your hands to yourself. Call the authorities right away to tell them of the situation.

 

Assess the Damage

Once it’s safe to go out, check your property for damages. Take photos. You’ll need them for insurance claims if you’re really hit bad.

 

 

What You Need to Do to Survive a Snowstorm |  Photo by ra2studio/Bigstock

There are other things you could do to survive a thunderstorm. If you wish to share the tips you know, please go ahead to the comment section. We’ll be grateful for the vital piece of information. Check out Gentleman Pirate Club, as well, to see more survival tips.

 


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Gentleman Pirate Club aims to share valuable knowledge and tips on how you can prepare and survive emergencies and other dire situations. We think of different scenarios and show you the many ways you can survive them. We also believe in self-sufficiency as a way to prepare for whatever lies ahead. As our ship sails in these waters, we look for valuable treasures. When we spot one, we tell you where it is.

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