MISSOULA — Two soccer players and an assistant coach at Glacier High School in Kalispell were injured by lightning on Monday, August 19, 2024.
One of the players remains in the ICU at Logan Health in Kalispell as of Tuesday afternoon.
Glacier High School athletic director Mark Dennehy told MTN News they have a safety protocol that was followed, and that soccer practice was delayed 30 minutes after the last lightning strike from a passing storm was seen.
No other details have been released at this point. We will update you if we get more information.
According to the National Weather Service, lightning kills about 20 people in the United States each year, and hundreds more are severely injured.
While being injured by lightning is rare, it's important to know that all thunderstorms are dangerous and have the potential to become deadly.
Here are safety tips to help prevent being injured by lightning if you are outside:
Watch and listen for distant storm activity.
- Watch for distant lightning and listen for distant thunder. You might hear thunder before you see lightning on a bright day.
- If you hear thunder or see lightning, seek shelter away from the water.
"When thunder roars, go indoors."
- Find a safe, enclosed shelter when you hear thunder. Even if you see blue sky, you could still be in danger.
- Don't resume outdoor activities for at least 30 minutes after the storm. The beginning and the end of a storm are the most dangerous times.
- If you hear thunder while you are at the beach, find a safe, enclosed shelter, such as your car. Do NOT seek shelter under beach picnic shelters.
Avoid open spaces, vehicles, and structures.
- Stay away from open spaces such as golf courses, parks, playgrounds, ponds, lakes, swimming pools, and beaches.
- Avoid open vehicles such as convertibles, motorcycles, and golf carts.
- Avoid open structures such as porches, gazebos, baseball dugouts, and sports arenas. These structures won’t protect you from lightning.
For more lightning safety information, click here to visit the CDC website.
