Myrtle Beach firefighters share tips during National Lightning Safety Awareness Week

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) - This week is National Lightning Safety Awareness Week.

Although getting struck by lightning is rare, it can happen.

Last year, the National Weather Service reported 17 lightning deaths in the U.S. One of them was in South Carolina.

All week long, the Myrtle Beach Fire Department will share lightning safety tips on its Facebook Page. Tuesday is specifically about what to do if a person is caught in a thunderstorm outside.

MBPD Capt. Jon Evans said the best thing is to go indoors. If someone is at the beach and there are no buildings nearby, get in the car.

What someone should not do is seek shelter under beach tents.

Evans said these tips are important especially when it comes to pop-up thunderstorms.

“We saw that last weekend with CCMF. We had to shut it down for a couple of hours until that storm passed,” Evans said. “It’s just really getting folks to think about lightning strikes and take it seriously.”

A common saying is “When Thunder Roars. Go indoors.” Evans said this is what people should do if they’re already inside the home during a thunderstorm.

“If you’re inside your home, you should be protected, but kind of stay away from the windows or if you have any electronics you’ll want to shut down just in case there’s a strike. It could cause a surge inside your home,” he said.

For more information on lightning safety, click here.

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