July
2017 (link to pdf(s) en / fr)
Lightning Safety / Severe Weather
Policy
When thunder roars, go indoors!
The safety
of players, coaches, management and spectators is the primary concern in any
weather event that
occurs during all matches sanctioned by Canada Soccer. By understanding and
following the below information,
the safety of everyone shall be greatly increased. Ultimately, the referee has
the final say over
delaying or restarting a match due to weather. Waiting to stop play or not
waiting to start play may result in
a serious injury or loss of life. Referees are expected to act responsibly when
dealing with such events
during matches they are controlling.
If you
can hear thunder, you can get hit by lightning. As soon as you hear thunder,
quickly get to a safe location.
More people are struck before and after a thunderstorm than during one. Stay
inside for 30 minutes
after the last rumble of thunder.
Additional Information
Please
note the following recommendations from Environment Canada:
• To plan for a safe day, check
the weather forecast first. If
thunderstorms are forecast, avoid being
outdoors at that time or make an alternate plan. Identify safe places and
determine how long it
will take you to reach them.
• Watch the skies for developing
thunderstorms and listen for thunder. As soon as you
hear thunder,
quickly get to a safe location. If you can hear thunder, you are in danger of
being hit by lightning.
More people are struck before and after a thunderstorm than during one.
• Get to a safe place. A safe location is a fully enclosed building with wiring and
plumbing. Sheds, picnic
shelters, tents or covered porches do NOT protect you from lightning. If no
sturdy building is close
by, get into a metal-roofed vehicle and close all the windows.
• Do not handle electrical
equipment, telephones or plumbing. These are all
electrical conductors.
Using a computer or wired video game system, taking a bath or touching a metal window
frame all put you at risk of being struck by lightning. Use battery-operated
appliances only.
• If caught outdoors far from
shelter, stay away from tall objects. This includes
trees, poles, wires
and fences. Take shelter in a low-lying area but be on the alert for possible
flooding.
Be aware
of how close lightning is occurring. Thunder always accompanies lightning, even
though its audible
range can be diminished due to background noise in the immediate environment
and its distance from the
observer.
When
larger groups are involved, the time needed to properly evacuate an area
increases. As time requirements
change, the distance at which lightning is noted and considered a threat to
move into the area must
be increased.
Know where
the closest “safe structure or location” is to the field or playing area and
know how long it takes to get to that safe structure
or location. Safe structure or location is defined as:
·
Any building normally occupied or
frequently used by people, i.e., a building with plumbing and / or electrical
wiring that acts to electrically ground the structure. Avoid using shower
facilities for safe shelter and do not use the showers or plumbing facilities
during a thunderstorm.
In the
absence of a sturdy, frequently inhabited building, any vehicle with a hard
metal roof (not a convertible
or golf cart) and rolled-up windows can provide a measure of safety. A vehicle
is certainly better
than remaining outdoors. It is not the rubber tires that make a vehicle a safe
shelter, but the hard metal roof
which dissipates the lightning strike around the vehicle. Do not touch the
sides of any vehicle!
If no safe
structure or location is within a reasonable distance, find a thick grove of
small trees surrounded by taller
trees or a dry ditch. Assume a crouched position on the ground with only the
balls of the feet touching
the ground, wrap your arms around your knees and lower your head. Minimize
contact with the ground
because lightning current often enters a victim through the ground rather than
by a direct overhead
strike. Minimize your body’s surface area and the ground! Do not lie flat! If
unable to reach safe shelter,
stay away from the tallest trees or objects such as light poles or flag poles),
metal objects (such as fences
or bleachers), individual trees, standing pools of water, and open fields.
Avoid being the highest object in
a field. Do not take shelter under a single, tall tree.
Avoid
using the telephone, except in emergency situations. People have been struck by
lightning while using a
land-line telephone. A cellular phone or a portable remote phone is a safe
alternative to land-line phones, if
the person and the antenna are located within a safe structure or location, and
if all other precautions
are followed.
When
considering resumption of any athletics activity, wait at least thirty (30)
minutes after the last flash of
lightning or sound of thunder before returning to the field.
First aid for lightning victims
Prompt, aggressive CPR has been highly effective for the survival
of victims of lightning strikes.
•
Lightning victims
do not carry an electrical charge and can be safely handled.
•
Call for help. Victims may be suffering from burns or shock and should receive
medical attention immediately. Call 9-1-1 or your local ambulance service.
•
Give first aid. If breathing has stopped, administer cardio-pulmonary
resuscitation (CPR). Use an automatic external defibrillator if one is
available.
For
additional information the following websites are helpful:
http://www.ec.gc.ca/foudre-lightning/default.asp?lang=En&n=57412D67-1
www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/lightning