Daemen University Athletics

Purpose:
To provide guidelines for the Daemen University Department of Athletics to follow related to safe participation in outdoor practices or games during inclement weather with the threat of lightning.
 
 
Policy:
Daemen requires all Department of Athletics personnel (all Athletic trainers, coaches, game administrators, and student-athletes) to be aware of the procedure to follow when participating outdoors during inclement weather with the threat of lightning. 
 
 
Procedure:

1. The coach and athletic training staff will check local weather reports BEFORE heading outside for practice or competition at www.wgrz.com , www.wivb.com ,or www.accuweather.com.
   1. Making special note of any National Weather Service thunderstorm “watches” or “warnings” in the area.
      1. A “watch” indicates that the conditions are favorable for potentially dangerous weather to develop.
      2. A “warning” indicates that the threat of potentially dangerous weather is imminent.  May need to postpone any outdoor activities.

 

2. In the case that rain/thunder storm are in the forecast, the athletic training staff member will have a SkyScan Lightning Detector system or a smart phone with a properly enabled “app” on their person at the field.
   1. Lightning can occur without rain therefore keen observation of the sky and surrounds is necessary if inclement weather is forecasted. 
   2. Administrative personnel (e.g. coach, athletic trainer, game administrator) must be made aware of deteriorating weather conditions.

 

3. When thunder is heard or lightning is seen, staff will utilize the “flash-to-bang” method to determine how far away lightning is occurring. 
   1. For this method staff counts seconds between seeing the lightning (“flash”) and hearing the thunder (“bang”) and divide this number by 5 to determine how many miles away the lightning is occurring. 

 

2. Once lightning is deemed to be 10 miles or less away [“flash-to-bang” is 50 seconds or less], the event must be suspended.  All coaches, student-athletes, officials, sports medicine staff and game personnel, must seek suitable shelter. 

 

4. A suitable shelter is a sturdy building with four walls and roof with plumbing or electrical wiring that acts to electrically ground the structure.
   1. In the absence of a suitable sturdy shelter, any vehicle with a hard metal roof (no convertibles or golf carts) with windows shut provides a reasonable alternative.
   2. A special emphasis - most of the outdoor fields & facilities utilized by Daemen College (e.g. Amherst High School – stadium/track and grass fields, Smallwood Elementary, Park Country Club, etc.) may not have a suitable shelter (e.g. building) that is accessible when necessary.
   3. Coaches and sports medicine staff must ensure that all student-athletes have safe shelter from the lightning.
      1. The use of vehicles (e.g. college vans) would be most likely scenario.

 

5. All student-athletes and administrative staff must shelter in place until 30 minutes from last flash is seen or thunder is heard. 
   1. During a hosted outdoor event, the game officials, coaches, athletic trainer(s) and game administrator(s) must communicate openly regarding the resumption of the contest. 

 

6. In the case that a person is struck by lightning, evaluate the victim, begin CPR on the victim if necessary and activate the 9-1-1 emergency system. 
   1. It is best to use cellular phone in this situation since landline phones are dangerous during a thunderstorm. 
   2. Victims do not carry an electrical charge therefore it is safe to touch the victim and CPR has been shown to effective in survival of lightning stricken victims.

 
Other:

1. Coaches and student-athletes will be provided educational material by the Sports Medicine staff on the following topics:
   1. Monitoring potentially dangerous weather conditions
      1. Considerations for postponing outdoor practices or events.
   2. Flash-to-bang method for assessing lightning proximity.
   3. Practice/event suspension due to lightning – “50-30 rule”
      1. Flash-to-bang criteria
      2. Evacuation and safe shelter criteria
      3. Resumption criteria
   4. Care of a lightning stricken-victim

 

2. Possible suitable shelters
   1. An enclosed, electrically grounded normally inhabited building
   2. A vehicle with a metal roof and windows closed.

 
 
Resources:

1. 2011-12 NCAA Sports Medicine Handbook, Guideline 1d, pp 13-15.
2. Walsh, K. et al. “National Athletic Trainers’ Association Position Statement: Lightning Safety for Athletics and Recreation.” Journal of Athletic Training. 2013; 48(2): 258-270.