CELL TOWER'S AND LIGHTNING STRIKES

By Jane Celltower

If there is a tall object nearby, move from the area (at least 2 meters - 7 feet),  when you know lightning is close by.  Standing near tall isolated objects, such as cell towers, makes you vulnerable to secondary discharges.  L.G. Byerley lll, lightning Protection Technology and W.A. Brooks, R.C. Noggle, and K.L. Cummins from Global Atmospherics, Inc, states the growth of towers in the United States has increased the amount of lightning strikes in certain areas.  SpaceRef Interactive reports, "This includes Cell Towers, wireless communications, radio, microwave repeater, VHF communications and waters towers." 

Scientists state, towers attract more lightning than the undisturbed land.  

A North Carolina family never had a problem with lighting until a 138 foot tower was erected near Murfreesboro, N.C., on a one acre plot of open farm land.  Once the tower siting took place, 5 separate discharges near the house occurred over a period of 5 years, causing the deaths of two trees, a fire in electrical equipment, and complete destruction of all phone wiring, and damage to electrical fixtures.  This is not an isolated case, as any tall object such as a cell tower, "will" attract lightning.  News Source:  

spacescience.spaceref.com  

http://spacescience.spaceref.com -  reports in yet another article titled: "Human Voltage - 

What happens when people and lightning converge" provides the following expert advice, "Isolated trees, telephone booths, and open structures like gazebos or porches make poor lightning shelters.  If there is a tall object nearby, move as far away as possible - at least 2 meters (7 ft.).  Standing next to tall isolated objects like poles or towers makes you vulnerable to secondary discharges coming off those objects. 

 According to L.G. Byerley III from Lightning Protection Technology and W.A. Brooks, R.C. Noggle, and K.L. Cummins from Global Atmopherics, Inc., the growth of towers in the United States has increased the amount of lightning strikes in certain areas.  Such towers include cellular telephone and wireless communications, radio, microwave repeater, VHF communications and water towers."  This Space Science article gave credit and thanks to Dr. John M. Horack, and NASA for creating the resource which SpaceRef. now archives.

MYTH:

Cars are safe because the rubber tires insulate them from the ground.

TRUTH:

Cars are safe because of their metal shell. The metal cage of a car directs the lightning charge around the vehicle occupants and into the ground.  The car acts like a Faraday cage,  protecting those inside.

Step 4:

If you can't get to proper lightning shelter, at least avoid the most dangerous locations and activities.

• Avoid higher elevations
  
• Avoid wide-open areas, including sports fields and beaches
  
• Avoid tall isolated objects like trees, poles, and light posts.
  
• Avoid water-related activities: boating, swimming (includes indoor pools), and fishing.
  
• Avoid golfing.
  
• Avoid open vehicles like open farm tractors, open construction vehicles, riding lawnmowers, and golf carts (even with roofs)
  
• Avoid unprotected open buildings like picnic pavilions, rain shelters, and bus stops
  
• Avoid metal fences and metal bleachers.

DO NOT GO UNDER TREES TO KEEP DRY DURING THUNDERSTORMS!

Step 5:

The Lightning Crouch: Use this only as a last, desperate measure!! If you've made several bad decisions and are outside far away from proper shelter when lightning threatens, proceed to the safest location. Get off the higher elevations, get out of the open fields, get away from tall isolated objects, and get away from water.

Jane Celltower reports and confirms, "Tall Isolated Objects - Like Poles and Cell Phone Towers?"

  In an article in USA TODAY (www.usatoday.com ), the "Answers archive: Lightning science" the first of their online questions asked,  "Q. Would I decrease my odds of being struck by lightning while camping if I placed a lightning rod in the ground 50 feet from my campsite?"  

The answer:  "A. More lightning fatalities occur from current traveling across the ground than from a direct strike.  A lightning rod placed sufficiently near camp so as to decrease the chances of a direct strike would increase the chance of a ground current reaching camp.  Rather than erecting a lightning rod, do all you can to avoid being near the tallest isolated object.  If you are camping amongst tress, avoid sheltering near an isolated tree or one that is significantly taller than adjacent tress.  

If you are hiking in terrain where there are few trees, hike the higher elevations during the morning hours when storms are not as likely and plan to make camp at lower elevations where you are less likely to be the tallest object.  Answered by meteorologist Bob Swanson, USA TODAY's assistant weather editor, July 11, 2007.

Copyright --,  Jane Celltower.  All Rights Reserved.

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May 20, 2010

News Report Source: NBC Augusta 26 /  Aiken, S.C.

Original article found at:
http://www.nbcaugusta.com/news/local/93741384.html

Copper worth ten's of thousands of dollars was stolen from a cell phone tower in Aiken, South Carolina.  The thefts occurred between May 1st and the 12th and affected four different companies.  Companies affected were Att, T-Mobile, Alltel, and Sprint.  Total reported amount of copper stolen totaled $16,000.  Thousands of dollars in copper were also stolen from an Att tower located at 1336 Jefferson Davis Highway in Graniteville.  Spokeswoman from Att Stacey Harth stated without this copper the towers are more vulnerable to lightning strikes. 

 If a tower is hit this could affect cell phone users in Georgia-Carolina.  The Aiken County Sheriff's office is said to be investigating this incident.  For those who live around a "Stealth" cell tower, located within a dark, dangerous cell tower utility access road, the cell tower copper thefts present additional safety, security, and welfare issues and problems.  As crime in residential communities in regards to copper theft, is not uncommon.  Copper is often stolen from air-condition units.  If the criminals are looking for copper on cell phone towers, your air condition unit copper could also become a target. 

Copyright -  Jane Celltower.  All Rights Reserved.