Posted on 08/07/2023 5:41:29 AM PDT by Red Badger
Florida deputy was injured after his patrol vehicle was struck by lightning on Sunday, law enforcement officials said.
According to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy was driving his patrol vehicle south on U.S. Route 331 South near Sherwood Drive when it was struck by lightning.
Officials said the deputy was transported to a local hospital and “is awake and conscious and is expected to be okay.”
His patrol vehicle was inoperable after the strike fried his electrical system, according to the release.
Deputies said they also responded to a water rescue at Morrison Springs at 11:45 a.m. for a woman who had possibly been struck by lightning while in the water.
According to the release, CPR was performed by bystanders and the woman was transported to the hospital.
Officials didn’t have an update on the woman’s condition.
Walton County Sheriff's Office, Florida 17h ·
LIGHTNING STRIKES DEPUTY PATROL VEHICLE
Today, a Walton County Sheriff’s Office deputy was driving south on 331 S near Sherwood Drive when his patrol vehicle was struck by lightning.
The deputy was transported to Sacred Heart by Walton County Fire Rescue, Florida and his vehicle was inoperable after the strike fried his electrical system. He is awake and conscious and is expected to be okay. In addition, deputies responded to a water rescue at Morrison Springs at 11:45 AM for a female who had possibly been struck by lightning while in the water. CPR was performed by bystanders. The patient was transported by Walton Air Rescue, Florida.
Storms can be unpredictable and come up quickly. Please use your best judgement and get to a safe area when clouds roll in.
Be safe. We’re here if you need us.
Ping!.............
I have read that Florida has more lightening strikes than any other state.
We have more targets.....................
And the strikes often seem to pop up out of nowhere, with little or no indication of a pending strike.
Since lightening usually seeks the easiest path, either up or down, to ground maybe the vehicle just got in the way of the strike and was the tallest structure around..
Just imagine if this cruiser had been an e.v. !!
It would light up like a torch and burn for days.
Not likely any human would survive an e.v. lightning strike. You’d be locked in the inferno.
Wow! I always thought cars were the safest place to be during a ,ightening storm if you were out and about. Guess not.
There was on a few years ago, in Kansas IIRC, where a lady was travelling down I-70 and was hit.
The lightning bolt made a perfectly round hole in her windshield about 6 inches across, and thru the passenger seat and floorboard........................
Yep, lightning capital of the US. If you’re out on the golf course and see dark storm clouds coming. Get off the course asap.
People think that because the vehicle sits on rubber tires that it is safe.
A lightning bolt can traverse 20 miles in a second...a few inches of rubber is no problem................
Yeah and it’s all Desantis’ fault, too.
Sheesh- imagine driving along, kinda zoned out, and having that happen out of nowhere? She musta jumped 5 feet if the car was a convertible
Why? All EVs have manual latches on the front doors, at the least.
Or hold up a one-iron.
Yikes! I guess being inside a vehicle isn’t as safe as we were always taught.
Not safe at all.
A lightning bolt can travel 20 miles in a second...a few inches of rubber is no problem..............
A bolt from the blue.
I’m m from Fl originally. When we were kids as soon as the first thunder started in the distance you knew to get out of the water immediately.
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