How to keep yourself safe from a lightning strike in your home

NEW ORLEANS– It is National Lightning Safety Awareness Week and just yesterday lightning crashed into two homes in the Seventh Ward.

WGNO's Kenny Lopez takes a look at some things homeowners can do to keep themselves safe from lightning strikes.

In a storm lightning can strike at any time, and Jyvone Lewis found out just how unpredictable lightning can be first-hand.

"I never thought a house could get struck by lightning like it did. I never thought I'd wake up and hear what sounded like an explosion hit," Lewis said.

There are some ways to stay safe if lightning strikes in your home, and WGNO's Chief Meteorolgist Hank Allen explains.

"Stay away from windows, stay away from any metal that would conduct electricity if lightning would strike your house. You want to take away anything that would conduct electricity, so avoid water and appliances, and avoid using the computer. Not too many people have landline phones with cords, but you'd want to avoid that as well," he said.

Hank also said it is important to remember to avoid running water like doing the dishes, and taking showers during thunderstorms.

"Obviously something that is hand-held like your cell phone you'll be o.k., but the only thing to fully protect your appliances would be to un-plug them if you knew thunderstorms were coming in," Allen said.

The safest place to be during thunderstorms is the most inside area of your home or downstairs.

"The weird thing about lightning is you don't know where it'll go, but it does like to travel in the easiest way possible," he said.

Hank also said to remember to stay off balconies, porches, out of car ports, and make sure to stay away from concrete walls and floors.

There were no injuries in the lightning strike in the Seventh Ward yesterday.

Lightning photography in this story provided by WGNO News Director Rick Erbach.

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