Is Lightning Really A Threat?

7/30/2020 (Permalink)

Florida is the lightning capital of the United States. And Central Florida has the added distinction of being known as Lightning Alley. Since lightning storms occur on average 100 days each year, it stands to reason that dangerous volts of power will occasionally strike your home or even you.

The National Weather Service says that if you can hear thunder, then you have the potential of being struck by lightning. The general rule of thumb is if you see lightning, count in seconds until you hear the thunder. If you hear thunder more than 30 seconds later then you are safe. However, if it’s less than 30 seconds later, you should seek shelter.

As summer temps rise and we dry out, brush fires can happen more often during lightning storms. It very normal to see signs along highways and areas with thick brushes that the local firefighter department will be conducing controlled burns. This is done in an effort to lessen the severity of the fires and better able to contain them.

If you live in Florida, it is important to understand your insurance policy in regard to lightning strikes causing a fire in your home. 2019 figures show that 19 percent of lightning related fires impact home structures. Lightning strikes that result in fires can occur in the following ways:

• Strikes to power lines near the home
• A direct strike to your home
• Lightning can strike a nearby object such as a tree

While we at SERVPRO of South Orange County cannot control the weather, rest assured that our highly trained technicians will always be able to provide top notch fire restoration services to you.