Wyoming Youth Soccer State Cup/Memorial Weekend Tournament
Lightning Policy and Procedures
Established April 2007
This lightning policy is proactive and comprehensive so as to help prevent any possible harm to athletes, coaching staff, officials, support staff, and/or fans. Therefore, the following policy should be adhered to without variation, as no game or practice is worth risking a life.
The “safe structures”, which are to be used in the event of lightning, for all events during this 2008 soccer tournament include the soccer complex building and your personal vehicle. Personal vehicles are the preferable option due to space limitations within the building.
Tournament officials will monitor weather reports to help determine when it is appropriate to stop play and seek shelter.
Tournament officials will also use a lightning detector to determine the appropriate response to inclement weather. When the lightning detector indicates unsafe conditions, the Tournament Director (or his/her designee) will make the decision to clear the fields.
When a decision to clear the field has been made, air horns will be sounded to indicate the request to leave the fields.
Please move as quickly as possible to a “safe structure”. DO NOT GO INTO TENTS OR CANOPIES that may be set up on the fields. These are extremely unsafe.
Officials will consider it safe to return to the fields 30 minutes after the last detected lightning strike. Please wait for officials to return to the fields before doing so yourself.
If you choose to remain in the tournament area or in an unsafe structure after a request to seek shelter has been made, you do so at your own risk.
Each Year, about 400 children and adults in the U.S. are struck by lightning during outdoor activities. About 80 people are killed and several hundred are left to cope with permanent disabilities.
All thunderstorms produce lightning. Lightning kills more people each year than tornadoes.
Lightning often strikes as far as 10 miles away from any rainfall. Many deaths from lightning occur ahead of the storm because people try to wait until the last minute before seeking shelter.
If you can hear thunder, lightning is close enough that it could strike your location at any moment.
Lightning injuries can lead to permanent disabilities or death. On average, 20% of strike victims die; 70% of survivors suffer serious long term effects.
Call 9-1-1. Get medical attention as quickly as possible.
Give first aid. If the victim has stopped breathing, begin rescue breathing. If the heart has stopped beating, a trained person should provide CPR.
Check for burns in two places. The injured person has received an electric shock and may be burned at an entrance and exit wound area. Being struck by lightning can also cause nervous system damage, broken bones, and loss of hearing or eyesight.
People struck by lightning carry no electrical charge that can shock others. You can examine them without risk.