Lightning Strikes -- Yikes! (Austin, Barton Creek: mobile home, tornadoes, live)

[romesq]

We are scheduled to close on a home in the Barton Creek area in late May, relocating/partly retiring from our life and careers in New Orleans. We've read the reports on Statesman.com concerning lightning strikes in the Hill Country area. NOLA gets twice the Austin rainfall each year, along with T-storms too, but lightning strikes are far less common here.

Anybody have suggestions on 1) how best to protect your home and 2) what to do during storms, apart from the obvious of getting indoors and away from the windows?

[KewGee]

I know years ago, people used lightening rods. I really don't know about them though as I lived in CA and we rarely got lightening. I've lived here long enough and should know, but I don't.

Anyway, I've heard of lightening starting many homes on fire, a bolt going right through the roof. I always thought I was safe in the house from the lightening, but that isn't so as you well know.

A friend of mine had lightening come right through his window and start the rug on fire. When one of my great nephews was little, he was sitting on the floor in his bedroom and lightening came right through the ceiling light fixture. Luckily, the strike missed him.

There are just too many scary stories about the dangers. I'll be watching this thread and hopefully, we'll both find out what to do. That's another investment for safety about which I need to learn.

Oh, by the way, I have heard that one is safe from lightening inside a vehicle. I surely hope that's true and not another Texas tale I've heard. I need to check the internet and find out for sure.

My brother-in-law always said mobile homes were safe during tornadoes. Oh gosh, and duh, was he just plain clueless or what?

[romesq]

Just found what appears to be some good info.

http://www.lightningsafety.com/