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A Model Lightning Safety Policy For Athletics., Brian Bennett M.Ed

Brian Bennett, M.Ed

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this paper is to present a model policy on lightning safety for athletic trainers.

BACKGROUND: Among college athletic programs in the United States there is a serious lack of written policy on lightning safety. Available evidence shows that most National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I institutions, even though they are located in high lightning activity areas of the country, do not have formal, written lightning safety policies.

CLINICAL ADVANTAGES/ RECOMMENDATIONS: The policy presented herein, which is at the forefront of such policies, is the lightning safety policy written as part of a policies and procedures …

National Athletic Trainers' Association Position Statement: Lightning Safety For Athletics And Recreation., K M Walsh, Brian Bennett M.Ed, M A Cooper, R L Holle, R Kithil, R E López

Brian Bennett

OBJECTIVE: To educate athletic trainers and others about the dangers of lightning, provide lightning-safety guidelines, define safe structures and locations, and advocate prehospital care for lightning-strike victims.

BACKGROUND: Lightning may be the most frequently encountered severe-storm hazard endangering physically active people each year. Millions of lightning flashes strike the ground annually in the United States, causing nearly 100 deaths and 400 injuries. Three quarters of all lightning casualties occur between May and September, and nearly four fifths occur between 10:00 AM and 7:00 PM, which coincides with the hours for most athletic or recreational activities. Additionally, lightning casualties from sports …