Experts offer tips to protect people and their property from lightning strikes

CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) -- Insurance experts are offering advice for property owners after lightning strikes from thunderstorms on Wednesday led to fires at two homes on Daniel Island.

Shea Gibson, a meteorologist with WeatherFlow, was monitoring the storm and collected data from the Tempest Weather Station on Daniel Island.

"Over Daniel Island alone from just one of our Tempest station sensors picked up over 3,200 strikes in a four-hour period, so very active," Gibson said.

Gibson said instability and heat created a lot of energy in the storms, and while the amount of lightning was not uncommon, it was out of the norm.

"The sensor that I pulled from the Tempest Weather Station off of Daniel Island Drive and pulled that data and you can see the highest concentration between about 1:20 in the afternoon and about 5:30 in the afternoon -- it was really just heavy duty for all that period of time," he said.

Insurance experts said lightning strikes can often cause fires within the walls or an attic of a home, which officials said is what happened on Daniel Island.

In fact, in 2022, lightning strikes cost about $952 million in insured losses nationwide, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

According to AAA, standard home property insurance covers damage from fires that were caused by lightning. However, AAA officials recommend checking that the policy covers additional living expenses if repairs are being done.

AAA officials also explain that a standard homeowners insurance policy covers personal property damage from a lightning strike. That's why they recommend homeowners factor in all electronics/appliances to ensure the limit is set high enough.

To keep property as protected as possible from lightning, AAA recommends:

* Have a good grounding system in place, like a lightning rod (if not built into the home)

* Put surge protection devices in place (can range from whole-house surge protectors to surge protector strips)

* Unplug high-value electronics when it's storming

* Install a custom lightning-protection system at your home

As for protecting yourself from lightning, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers safety tips.

If you are inside when you hear thunder, experts say:

* Avoid water (bathing, washing dishes, etc.)

* Stay away from windows, doors, porches

* Do not touch electronic equipment (computers, laptops, video game systems, etc.)

* Do not use corded phones (cell phones are safe to use)

If you are outside, the CDC says to go inside and seek shelter at home, an office building, a shopping center, or a hard-topped vehicle with the windows up.

If you cannot seek shelter, the CDC recommends:

* Getting off elevated areas (hills, mountain ridges, or peaks)

* Never lie flat on the ground. (crouch in a ball-like position with your head tucked and hands over your ears)

* Do not shelter under an isolated tree

* Do not use a cliff or rocky overhang for shelter

* Get out and away from bodies of water

* Stay away from objects that conduct electricity (barbed wire fences, power lines, windmills).

If you are out on the water on a boat and see lightning, experts say to return to shore immediately. "If you are unable to return to shore, boats with cabins offer some protection," the CDC's website reads. "If caught in a storm in a small boat with no cabin, drop anchor and get as low as possible."

The CDC offers more lightning safety tips on its website, including information for pet owners and organized sporting events.