This in depth article by John Gookin at the National Outdoor Leadership School provides an excellent scientific overview lightning and how to manage lightning safety and first aid in the backcountry.

Reproduced on OutdoorEd.com with permission from the Author and NOLS. This article may not be reproduced on any other site without direct permission from John Gookin.

  • How lightning strikes
  • Lightning injury mechanisms
  • Reducing lightning risk in the backcountry
  • Lightning first aid overview
  • Teaching backcountry lightning risk management
  • The effects of lightning strikes on humans
  • Lightning incident reporting guidelines
  • References

Lightning Injuries