Lightning Protection Institute Illuminates Lightning Dangers With New PSA

MARYVILLE, Mo., June 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Lightning Protection Institute (LPI) a not-for-profit dedicated to promoting lightning safety, awareness and education, unveiled an eye-opening new public service announcement today in conjunction with 2014 Lightning Safety Awareness Week (June 22-28). The spot, produced by Richmond-based branding, marketing and PR firm Madison+Main, emphasizes the severity of lightning damage to structures in the United States and encourages individuals to help build lightning safe communities.

"Our goal for this year's Lightning Safety Awareness Week isn't just to inform people about the damage done each year by lightning to homes, places of worship, historic structures and more," said Bud VanSickle, LPI executive director. "What we're really trying to get across is that these losses can be prevented when lightning protection systems are installed for these structures." 

The highly conductive components used in a lightning protection system provide a low-resistance path to safely ground lightning's dangerous electricity. A lightning protection system that complies with National Safety Standards provides a network to intercept the strike and direct the dangerous electricity to ground without impact to the structure, occupants or contents. 

Each year, U.S. fire departments respond to an average of 22,600 fires started by lightning. These fires are responsible for civilian deaths, injuries and over $451 million in direct property damage.  Lightning is a leading storm-related killer, as well as the weather peril most frequently experienced by most individuals in this country.

Click here to view the Lightning Protection Institute's "Building Lightning Safe Communities" PSA. For more information or to obtain a copy of the PSA, contact Kim Loehr, LPI director of communications at [email protected]. To find a lightning protection system installer near you, click here.

The Lightning Protection Institute (LPI) is a not-for-profit nationwide group founded in 1955 to promote lightning safety, awareness and education and is a leading resource for lightning protection installation in accordance with national safety standards. LPI certifies individuals for the installation of lightning protection systems through a Master Installer testing program to qualify competence. LPI supports lightning protection quality control and assurance through third-party inspection. Information about follow-up inspection services can be found at www.lpi-ip.com. For a list of certified contractors visit the LPI website at www.lightning.org.

SOURCE Lightning Protection Institute