Presentation by: Kimberly Loehr, Communications Director - Lightning Protection Institute

1. Kimberly Loehr, Communications Director
Lightning Protection Institute (LPI)
LSA 101 Registered Provider, NFPA BFSSS Member, NWS/NLSC LSA Team
Build & Protect Initiative
for Lightning Safe
Communities

2. Why the Need to Build
Lightning Safe Communities?
“The weather hazard that affects the
most people most of the time.”

3. What is Lightning Doing in Our
Communities?
• NEWS HEADLINES:
• “Lightning Strikes Lead to Power Failures”
• “Lightning Keeping Firefighters Busier Than Usual”
• “Lightning a Serious Problem for Property Owners”
• “Lightning Causes Major Power Outage”
• “Chemical Leak Sealed after Lightning Strikes Plant”
• “Lightning Knocks Out Communications”
• “Lightning Strike Shuts Down Airport”
• “Fire Risk Found in Millions of Homes” (CSST/lightning)

4. Safety & Economic Consequences of
Lightning & Ways to Initiate Change
* 3-5% of all commercial insurance claims are lightning
related.
* U.S. property losses due to lightning exceed $1 billion yearly.
* FAA estimates lightning costs airlines $2 billion annually in
operating costs and passenger delays.
•Lightning has historically been a leading cause of church
fires. (30%)
•Lightning is a leading cause of weather related deaths.
•250,000+ residential insurance claims due to lightning paid
every year. Average claim = $7559 (State Farm/I.I.I. 2016)
•Two of the most deadly/costly lightning events in U.S. history
occurred where lightning is relatively infrequent. (Picatinny
Arsenal explosion in N.J., 1926 and the 1997 NYC blackout.)
• 1. Change apathy about lightning
• 2. Increase awareness about its dangers
• 3. Educate communities about the risk
• 4. Promote LPS specification in
accordance w/national safety standards
• 5. Promote 3rd-party inspection for LPS
quality assurance
Lightning is tracked and
mapped all over the world
continuously by satellites.
This map shows cloud to
ground lightning incidence in
the U.S.

5. Things We Want Communities to
Know About Lightning
 All thunderstorms produce lightning and
are dangerous.
 Lightning can generate heat hotter than
50,000
0
F & it travels 90,000 miles per
SECOND. Thunder travels 2/10 mile per
second.
 5 seconds between flash/bang means
lightning is approximately 1 mile away. If
you hear thunder you’re in danger.
 A single bolt can pack up to 300 million
volts of power & 30,000 amperes of
charge.
 Lightning can/does strike twice in the
same place.
 Lightning often strikes outside the rain
event and as far as 10 miles from rainfall.
Strikes can occur ahead or after storms
have seemingly passed.
 Safe, effective & affordable protection is
available to protect families, homes &
structures from the lightning hazard.

6. A Year-round Hazard! “Thundersnow” &
Lightning Can be Very, Very Frightening!
You can see what’s left of this
home – insulation in the trees, the
front steps, and the bathtub on the
driveway.
Fortunately, the owner was away.
That’s not always the case.
Lightning Causes House Fire
Explosion February 2014

7. LPS Can Make “Safe” Places Safer!
Build & Protect educates about lightning
losses and how lightning protection
systems (LPS) can help prevent
devastating fires like these.

8. Initiatives and Tools Driving
Community Resilience

9. Education Can Improve
Community Level Resilience

10. Build & Protect Visual
Resources
New infographics
developed to promote
safety standard-
compliant lightning
protection, third-party
review, quality assurance,
LPS inspection and
certification.

11. Strategies & Frameworks that Leverage
Experience & Technology - Sustainability & Resilience
- International Code Council (I.C.C.)
Infographic developed in
May 2018, to support
Building Safety Month
themes & I.C.C. campaign
goals of how science and
technology are leading the
way when it comes to
building safety.
“Resilience starts with strong,
regularly updated, and properly
implemented building codes. So,
whether you’re considering
renovating, remodeling, or building
from the ground up, look for the
latest technology and make sure it is
based on the codes and standards
that put safety and efficiency first.”

12. CASE STUDIES!
Explain Benefits of Safety Standard-Compliant LPS
Case Study articles, news
releases & videos posted
at www.copper.org
www.lightning.org
www.lightningsafetyalliance.org

13. Promoting Build & Protect, LPS & Lightning
Safety Awareness via Social Media

14. Lightning Safety Awareness Week
Campaign 2018
Organizations helping to build lightning safe communities by
highlighting the benefits of lightning protection systems for
structures, included:
Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI)
Federal Alliance for Safe Homes-FLASH
National Lightning Safety Council (takes lead with LPI for 2017 &
2018 campaigns)
Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.)
Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS)
NOAA/NWS & The Weather Channel
Multiple Insurance Providers
@PublicHealthMaps “
empowering people with greater understanding about #PublicHealth, Maps & everything in between”
The National Weather Service began the annual Lightning Safety Awareness Week campaign in 2001 to help increase awareness about the dangers of
lightning and provide the public with safety information to help protect families from lightning’s underrated dangers. LPI joined effort as a partner in 2007 to
include messaging about lightning protection for structures. Building Lightning Safe Communities campaign theme implemented 2013.
Saturday Campaign Theme:
“Protecting Your Home from Lightning”
Lightning Protection was heavily promoted during Lightning Safety
Awareness Week with daily Twitter and Facebook posts, themed
topics and campaign shares with partners and media.

15. Inaugural Twitter Chat for LSA Week
Co-Hosted by ESFI & LPI

16. Leveraging Build & Protect on social media with existing national campaigns including National
Preparedness Month, Fire Prevention Week, and others.
Graphics Connect Build & Protect
with National Campaigns

17. Famous Faces Helping to Build Lightning
Safe Communities

18. Partner Spotlight
Partner Spotlight -
Kimberly (Kim) Loehr
In honor of Lightning Safety Awareness Month, FLASH invited Kim
Loehr of the Lightning Protection Institute (LPI) to share her
journey in the field of lightning protection. Read More >
Partners in Prevention
Volume 19, Issue 6, June 2017
Month in Review
FLASH Partnership Supports Efforts

19. Partnering with the International
Scientific Community

20. Working to Prevent a “9/11”
Lightning Tragedy
Resources for
Outdoor Safety
www.lightning-
risk.org Resources
for A&E’s
www.lightning.org

21. Building Lightning Safe
Communities in Haiti!

22. Partners Past & Present Helping to
Build Lightning Safe Communities!
Together We are Building Lightning
Safe Communities!

23. Measurements of the Objectives
2018 Successes
Increased education
about lightning losses
and availability of
safety-standard
compliant LPS to
further advancement
and understanding of
best practices for
design, components
and construction.
Increase in LPI
specification materials
as part of the risk
analysis process to
ensure structural
integrity and address
safety, resiliency and
liability concerns
associated with the
lightning risk.
Benchmarks for Measurement:
•Increased specification of safety standard-
compliant LPS in marketplace.
•Increasing support from insurance industry with
incentives/credits for safety standard compliant
LPS.
•Increased specification references to NFPA 780,
LPI-IP inspection program and LPI professional
credentials (MI and MID) as LPS requirements for
quality control.
•LPI-IP 3rd-party inspection program recognized as
preferred quality control service in growing number
of specifications. (LPI-IP saw 40% growth in 2017.)
•Increase in A&E subscribers (Build & Protect
newsletter) & LPI Professional Division memberships.
Safety Standard
LPS outlined
In Florida Green
Home
Designation
Standard.

24. What’s Coming: Large Loss Lightning Fire
Post-Incident Reports
What: Post-incident report/s documenting large
loss lightning-sparked structural fires. Case
studies of recent Clarksville, MD 7-alarm fire that
resulted in death of a Howard County firefighter
and investigative report to examine increase in
lightning-sparked fires at U.S. apartments.
Why: To provide valuable research
material/content and statistical information to
increase awareness. (Content to help bridge gap
between high level of media coverage of these
tragic events vs. practically non-existent statistical
data from fire and insurance reporting services.)
Report specifics expected to include:
•Were sprinklers present?
•What were common factors in fires?
•Was CSST present and a factor?
•Examination of who, what, when, how and costs
related to incidents.
•Risk assessment analysis
•Lightning protection resources, NFPA reference
materials for inclusion in mitigation analysis.

25. LPI Puts Lightning Enlightenment at
Your Fingertips
How to contact Kim:
Phone: 804-314-8955 Email: kiml@lightning.org
LinkedIn: Kimberly Loehr
linkedin.com/in/kimloehr
Twitter: Kimberly Loehr @lightningkim
Facebook:
Building Lightning Safe Communities
@lightningsafe
Lightning Protection Institute
@lightningprotect
Thank you for helping to build lightning safe communities!
The Lightning Protection Institute is a
not-for-profit nationwide group founded
in 1955 to promote lightning safety,
awareness and education.
LPI is a leading resource for system
requirements in accordance with
national safety standards.
www.lightning.org
www.lightning-risk.org
www.lightning.org/blog

26. Final Thought….
Thank you!