Brevard County

Policy

PARKS AND RECREATION

DEPARTMENT Number:

Cancels/Amends: Original

TITLE: Lightning Policy Date Approved:

Originator: Parks & Recreation Department

Date Review:

I PURPOSE AND SCOPE

To establish a lightning policy for the Brevard County Parks and Recreation Department for safe use of parks and facilities.

II. DEFINITIONS AND REFERENCES

A. Department shall mean the Parks and Recreation Department of the County.

B. Park includes a park, conservation area, playground, beach, community center, refuge, sanctuary, campground; or other area owned, leased, operated or maintained by the County and devoted to active or passive recreation.

C. Recreational facility shall mean an area for recreational purposes on property owned, leased, operated or maintained by the County.

D. Lightning is a flash of light in the atmosphere caused by an electric charge within a cloud, between clouds, or between a cloud and the ground.

E. National Lightning Safety Institute

F. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-Coaches and Sports Officials Guidelines-Lightning Safety

G. National Weather Service-Lightning Safety

H. National Collegiate Athletic Association-Lightning Safety

III. DIRECTIVE AND GUIDELINES

A. Staffed Facilities

1. If the facility is staffed, an employee should be provided with at least a hand held lightning detector such as a Spectrum Electronics Thunderbolt Pro equal or better and approved by Area Manager or designee..

2. When inclement weather is imminent, staff is to monitor the hand held unit for its warning signals. When the warning signal is activated, do the following procedures:

a. Clear the outdoor facility or park of all patrons and employees

b. Explain to the patrons that they must seek shelter immediately. Appropriate safe shelters include fully enclosed metal vehicles with the windows up, or a sturdy enclosed building. If caught outdoors and no shelter is available it is recommended to do the following:

i. Stay away from tall trees – crouch in the open, keeping twice as far away from a tree as it is tall.

ii Avoid being the tallest object around – get as low as you can, but do not lie prone on the ground. Squat on the balls of your feet in order to have minimum contact with the ground. Place your hands over your ears, with your head between your knees. Do not lie flat on the ground.

iii Seek cover in clumps of bushes.

3. When the hand held detector indicates that the area is safe, staff may allow for activities to resume. A minimum of 30 minutes should have elapsed from the last observed lightning or thunder before resuming activities.

B. Unstaffed Facilities

If the facility or park is unstaffed, one of two situations should be applied:

1. If a Recreation Partner is using a Complex, the Recreation Partner must provide a portable lightning detector at each Complex utilized. The Recreation Agreement stipulates that the Recreation Partner must adhere to the Parks and Recreation Lightning Policy. Recreation Partners are to receive a copy of the Department Lightning Policy and sign-off on it.

2. Signs should be posted at facilities indicating what the Parks and Recreation Department policy and procedure is. The 30-minute rule should apply to these situations as well.

C. This policy is to be outlined in our field rental agreements as well.

It is important to remember that even if the lightning prediction system does not activate when the weather conditions are bad, good judgment must be used. Proceed to stop the activity until it is safe to resume.

A good lightning safety motto is: If you can see it (lightning), flee it; if you can hear it (thunder), clear it.

IV. RESPONSIBILITY

The Area Manager or designee shall be charged with administering this policy in their designated areas. Any deviation from this policy is subject to review and approval by the Area Manager or designee and subject to all local laws and regulations.

IV. RESERVATION OF AUTHORITY

The authority to issue or revise this policy is reserved to the Parks and Recreation Director.