Washington lightning survivor meets couple who helped save her 1:05
(CNN) --
There are certainly more pressing dangers than being struck by lightning: According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the chance of being struck by lightning is less than one in a million.
But sometimes it happens, as some recent cases have shown.
On Friday, a lightning strike ended the life of a mother who was picking up her son from school in Florida.
And in early August, lightning killed three people who were sheltering under a tree near the White House.
So far, 14 people have been killed by lightning strikes in the United States in 2022, according to the National Weather Service, up from 11 deaths in 2021.
Video captures the strong lightning that struck near the White House 0:40
But these are tiny groups when you consider that the country's population exceeds 300 million and there are more than 25 million lightning strikes a year in the United States, according to the Weather Service.
It is also worth noting that 90% of lightning victims survive.
Still, there are some things you can do to lower your chances.
When the thunder roars, come home
The National Weather Service has a simple but effective motto: "When thunder roars, come home."
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As soon as you hear thunder, see lightning, or the sky looks threatening, you should head indoors as soon as possible.
"The most important thing is that you are safe inside a large, substantial building or a totally enclosed, metal-roofed vehicle," Ron Holle, a meteorologist and lightning safety specialist with the National Lightning Safety Council, told CNN.
"Anywhere outside of those two places is not safe."
A major building means a structure with proper wiring and plumbing, Holle explained.
Tents, sheds, sheds, and picnic shelters are not safe from lightning.
This is because when lightning strikes a home or other building, it travels through the plumbing and wiring to ground rods that safely channel all that electricity back to earth.
A smaller tent or shelter does not offer that protection.
If you hear thunder while camping or on the beach, without access to a large building, you should immediately seek shelter in a vehicle.
You must wait 30 minutes from the last time you heard thunder to get out of the vehicle, according to the weather service.
Bicyclists or motorcyclists who hear thunder should stop at a safe building and also wait until 30 minutes have passed since the last roar.
Record-breaking lightning flashes documented in North and South America
How to avoid lightning indoors
Okay, you heard thunder and got into a proper building.
Good news: "You are infinitely safer inside than outside," says Holle.
The next step is to close your windows and avoid using corded electrical appliances, according to the National Weather Service.
"You don't want to be attached to wiring and pipes, that's holding a corded phone, or grabbing an appliance when lightning strikes the house," Holle explained.
"Having your hands sticking to the flowing water in the sink or bathtub" also poses a risk, she said.
You also have to stay away from balconies, porches, garages, windows and doors to the outside, says the weather service.
And if it's not safe outside for humans during a storm, it's not safe for pets either.
Put your pets away as soon as possible when you hear thunder, according to the Weather Service.
Doghouses don't provide protection from lightning, and dogs tied to trees are in particular danger, the agency says.
Save the boat trip for another day
According to the Weather Service, most large boats with cabins are fairly safe during a storm, but small boats without cabins are another story.
"The vast majority of boat lightning injuries and fatalities occur on small boats WITHOUT a cabin," says the Weather Service.
"It's crucial to listen to weather information when you're sailing."
They record the moment when lightning strikes a moving yacht 0:54
The service advises people not to go boating when thunderstorms are forecast.
If you hear thunder while in the water, get back on land as soon as possible, and ideally get at least 100 meters from shore.
If you can't make it to shore, you should drop anchor, go as low as possible and stay inside the cabin, and stay away from any metal surfaces, such as the radio you might have been using to track the weather in the first place.
But if you're not on the ship, or the ship doesn't have a cabin, it's better to stay in deep water during the storm rather than return aboard, according to the weather agency.
A Last Resort: Staying Safe Outdoors
A key strategy to avoid lightning is awareness and planning.
Read the weather forecast to find out if storms are expected in the places where you will be.
Schedule your hours to avoid being outside when storms are expected.
Professional lightning detection equipment can also be used to alert when lightning is approaching.
"If you're outside, you're very vulnerable to lightning," says Holle.
If it is not possible to enter the house, there are some things that can slightly reduce the risk.
In a storm, avoid open fields, hilltops or mountains, the weather service says.
You should also stay away from tall, isolated objects, such as trees, and immediately leave any body of water.
Of course, you'll also want to avoid anything wet or metallic that can conduct electricity.
Low-lying areas, such as valleys and ravines, are a safer bet.
If you're in a group, spread it out to prevent current from passing between people, the weather service says.
And don't lie on the floor.
However, Holle noted that the evidence for many of these lightning avoidance strategies is still unclear.
The most important thing is to be indoors: Nearly all lightning deaths in the United States in recent decades have occurred outdoors, he said.
Ray!
These are the places in the world where lightning strikes the most
lightning in the world
"Most people in the US have a lightning-safe building or a lightning-safe vehicle very close by, and they just have to go there," Holle said.
"This is not the case for millions of people around the world."
In 2016, the main lightning point in the world was Lake Maracaibo, in Venezuela.
But Africa is the continent with the largest number of these hot spots, according to NASA, with six of the world's top 10 lightning hot spots located there.
Most are lakes, including Lake Victoria, which stretches across Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
Holle works with an organization called ACLENet, whose goal is to reduce deaths, injuries and property damage caused by lightning across Africa.
The organization is based in Uganda, where deaths of people inside homes without wiring and plumbing still occur regularly.
The organization advocates for better lightning safety education and for the installation of functional lightning protection systems in schools and other buildings.
survive lightning
Although the vast majority of lightning victims survive, the effects can be severe and long-lasting.
Survivors have suffered debilitating injuries, burns, and ongoing disabilities, including symptoms such as seizures and memory loss.
If someone around you is struck by lightning, immediately call 911, says the National Weather Service.
A person who was struck by lightning does not have an electrical charge, according to the CDC, so it is safe to touch and move them.
Take her inside if possible.
The victim's heart or breathing may have stopped and they may need CPR.
There are also organizations that offer resources for survivors, such as Lightning Strike and Electric Shock Survivors International, which promotes medical research and ongoing support for survivors of lightning and electrical injuries.
Ray
