Avoid the Shock: Be Prepared for a Lightning Strike

Allstate provides tips for New Yorkers on protecting against lightning strikes

What’s responsible for more deaths and property losses each year than tornadoes, hurricanes and floods combined? The answer may ‘strike’ you as surprising. Each year, thousands of homes and other properties are damaged or destroyed by lightning. Lightning is the only disaster that New Yorkers can economically afford to protect against. If struck by lightning, a building will generally sustain more damage when there is no lightning protection system present. Allstate Insurance Company is providing tips* to make sure New Yorkers are protected and prepared for a lightning strike this summer and for years to come.

How to Prepare for Lightning

• Install a lightning protection system that complies with current nationally recognized codes. Lightning protection systems consist of air terminals (lightning rods) and associated fittings connected by heavy cables to grounding equipment. This provides a path for lightning current to travel safely to the ground.

• Install surge arresters at your utility service and telephone equipment to prevent surges from entering your home or other structures on power or telephone lines. Surges are diverted to the ground, and both wiring and appliance are protected.

• Install transient voltage surge suppressors in receptacles to which computers and other electronic equipment are connected in order to limit the voltage to 1.5 times the normal voltage (maximum for solid state devices).

Lightning Safety Tips

• If you are caught outdoors immediately get into a building or vehicle. Don’t wait for the rain to begin. If you’re unable to get inside, remove all metal and your baseball cap, crouch down with feet together in pitcher-stance, duck your head and cover ears, becoming as small a target with as little contact with the ground as possible.

• When you first see lightning, avoid being near trees, water, high ground or open fields. Picnic and canopy shelters should also be avoided, as well as metal objects like flag poles, light poles and bleachers. If you need a flag pole, you can find great-looking eagle flagpole toppers at Atlantic Flag pole which is not metal.

• If you are indoors during the storm, stay away from doors and windows. It’s also important not to use a telephone to avoid being struck. You should also unplug any electronic equipment and appliances to protect them from the possibility of power surges.

After Lightning Strikes: After the storm is over, follow these steps to protect yourself from harm:

• Wear protective shoes and watch for broken power lines, shattered glass, splintered wood or other sharp objects.

• If it can be done safely, turn off damaged utilities.

• Take steps to prevent additional property damage from rain, wind and looting.

• Keep your receipts for materials purchased to protect your property from further loss; these expenses may be reimbursable under your homeowners insurance policy.

• Make an inventory list of all damaged contents for flood restoration.

*This information is provided by Underwriter Laboratories Inc. (UL). Allstate is not endorsing UL but rather providing you with information to help you safeguard your family and home. Make informed decisions about the protection you need. For questions about your insurance coverage needs, call or visit your local Allstate agent.

This information highlights examples of safety precautions you can consider to help prepare yourself, others and your personal property. Please recognize that a particular precaution may not be appropriate or effective in every circumstance. We encourage you to use your own good judgment about what’s appropriate.

For More information and a new quote please call Shirley Eizember, Pinckney Insurance Agency, 41 Port Watson St, Cortland New York. 607-756-8505

The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation’s largest publicly held personal lines insurer, protecting approximately 16 million households from life’s uncertainties through auto, home, life and other insurance offered through its Allstate, Esurance, Encompass and Answer Financial brand names. Allstate is widely known through the slogan “You’re In Good Hands With Allstate®.” The Allstate brand’s network of small businesses offers auto, home, life and retirement products and services to customers in the United States and Canada. In 2014, The Allstate Foundation, Allstate, its employees and agency owners gave $34 million to support local communities. Allstate employees and agency owners donated 200,000 hours of service across the country.

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