13 year old boy treated for lightning strike - on Friday
13 at 13:13
St John Ambulance volunteers improved the luck of a 13 year old
boy when they treated him after he was struck by lightning – at
13:13 on Friday 13.
At 13:13 today, the boy was treated by the St John Ambulance
team at Lowestoft Seafront Air Festival. He suffered a minor burn
and was taken to James Paget Hospital, where he is expected to make
a full recovery. Two more people have been treated at the event
today for lightning strikes; they were all holding
umbrellas at the time.
Trained to be the difference
Rex Clarke, who leads the team of St John Ambulance volunteers
at the event, said: ‘There’d been very heavy rain all day, but this
afternoon we saw a big flash of lightning over the
sea and a loud clap of thunder. We got a call that someone
had been struck by lightning so we immediately sent our paramedics
to the scene, followed by an ambulance. Lightning strikes can cause
cardiac arrest, but when our volunteers arrived the boy was
conscious and breathing.
‘We treated two more injuries from lightning burns in the space
of twenty minutes – all three people were holding umbrellas at the
time, which acts as a conductor for electricity.
We treated two more injuries from lightning burns in the space of twenty minutes
Rex Clarke
Commissioner Operations, Suffolk
'Lightning strikes are very unusual, but St John Ambulance
volunteers are trained to be the difference wherever they are –
whatever the weather or the date.'
Jason Gillingham, County Ambulance Officer and on scene at the
show, said: 'This was a minor burn to the boy’s shoulder, but he
was taken to hospital and is recovering well.'
Around 70 volunteers have been providing first aid support to
the thousands of people attending the Lowestoft Seafront Air
Festival. The team includes volunteer nurses, doctors and
paramedics.
How to help when lightning strikes
Clive James, first aid expert at St John Ambulance, says: 'The
biggest risk of a lightning strike is that it could stop the heart
and breathing. If this happens, you need to start CPR immediately
and call for an ambulance. Other likely effects are burns – which
happened in this case – or injuries from being knocked down by the
force. If the person can walk, move away from the area
immediately as lightning can strike in the same
place.'