Ch.3 Lightning Injury Flashcards
MOI
What is ground current?
Lightning hits an object near by and radiates outward, if a person is in the path of the current. The electricity may go over or pass through them.
MOI
What is Splash lightning?
Lightning may jump from one object to another.
MOI
What is contact shock?
Injury happen when touching a wired fence or a corded phone.
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What is a Direct hit strike?
When the lightning bolt strikes just you.
MOI
What is a blast injury from a lightning strike?
May occur from rapidly expanding air from a lightning strike.
Types of injury from a lightning strike
Neurological compromise
Loss of responsiveness
Paralysis
Seizures
Loss of fine motor skills onset may be delayed
Types of injury from a lightning strike
Burns
Feathery fern like
linear
Punctate (discrete circular)
Thermal usually minor because of flash over phenomenon
Types of injury from a lightning strike
Eye injuries
temporary blindness from intense light and shock waves from the strike
Types of injury from a lightning strike
Ear injuries
Temporary deafness
ruptured ear drums
nerve damage from loud noise of thunder and shock wave
Types of injury from a lightning strike
Trauma assisted with being thrown
just problems with being thrown
Treatment principles for lightning strike
Scene safety: Avoid further injury to survivors, rescuers and patient
Basic life support
Unlike normal protocall
in mass casualty situations attend to those with cardiac /respiratory arrest and without obvious lethal injury
Patient assessment system and treatment of any injuries found
monitor closely for cardiovascular, respiratory and neurological collapse.
Evacuate any patient struck by lightning
Prevention of lighting strikes
- In urban area seek shelter in buildings and vehicles
- No local weather patterns
- pick campsites with prevention in mind
- ## low rolling hills and in a group of trees
Prevention of lighting strikes
- In urban area seek shelter in buildings and vehicles
- No local weather patterns
- pick campsites with prevention in mind
- low rolling hills and in a group of trees
- monitor approaching storms lightning can strike miles ahead and behind a storm
Dangerous locations
- peaks ridges and hills
- areas higher than surrounding terrain
- isolated tall objects like a lone tree
- open terrain such as meadows
- large bodies of water especially shoreline
- Shallow overhangs and caves
- places obviously struck before
- long conductors, pipes, wires, wire fences and wet rope
What should you do if it is impractical to move?
Assume the lighting position
- crouch low to the ground
- place a non conductive mat between your feet and the ground
- disperse group ‘mon
