Disaster Preparedness: Lightning Strikes Twice

PGY 39, Day 323

Lightning Strikes Twice!

For those who think, "It won't happen to me.", think again.  Disasters can and will happen to you, to someone you love, or someone you know.  So, be prepared for yourself, your family, your friends, your community, or the larger community.  And, if it does not have a directly impact on you, be prepared to help others.

Katrina taught me a few things about Disasters and Disaster Preparedness ... she burned these things into my brain, and made it a part of my blood.  Consequently, I was somewhat prepared ... for just about anything.  But, at the time of the storm, disaster management was the farthest thing from my mind.  I was in a "chillin'" mode, and mesmerized by the beauty and power of it all.  The storm was booming around me, then ... crack ... I was literally blown out of my trance.

 This is not the first time my home has been struck by lightning.  There was a strike before, with destruction of the original alarm system. This time, for better or worse, I was home and right in the thick of things.  It has taken me a few days to get my wits about me ... mostly going through the motions ... figuring out exactly what had happened.  Perhaps part of it was a sort of "blast injury" ... I don't know.   The thing did slap me on the left side of my face and the blast was strong enough to blow a basement window in.  Or, it may just be the overwhelming gravity of it all ... coming to grips with the damage, and truly appreciating my good fortune ... having sustained no significant personal injury(?) and little property damage.  It could have been much worse, so I do consider myself to be fortunate ... to have learned more. Still learning ...

Now that my wits are back, I am compelled to share the story for those who might like to learn with me, by seeing the near real time account of my experience after the strike ... through the eyes of a Katrina Survivor and seasoned physician.  I will try to keep it in chronologic order and give it to you as it evolved and is evolving over time ... a luxury I did not have after Katrina.

Day Zero: Struck on Wednesday, May 16, 2012 at about 8PM

The Storm: Mesmerized by Power and Beauty

I was actually sitting outside, relaxing, enjoying the storm and writing this (unedited) email at the time of the strike.

"Sitting in darkness ... Oil lamp flickers ... outside on the porch ... Crickets sing the day's swansong.  thunder rumbling in over the mountains ... far away ...  echoes grumbling ... sky flashes w lightning ... Trees silhouetted ... Drop in and out of the black night.  Great horned owl calls ... Rain starting ... Hushhhhh ... Calling for silence to no avail ...
The symphony continues ... Crescendo now ... Then decrescendo ... Up and down and up again ... Crescendo ... Up ... Up ... Fortissimo ... Now over me ... Lighting brighter than day ... booming close ... Closer  ... CRACK ...
To my left ... I am shaken out of my trance ... Smell the smoke check the house. It was struck. Just to my left. Wires burned out in the basement ... A window blown in."

In the Aftermath of the Storm

Assessing the Damage

Day Zero: Wednesday, May 16, 2012 @ 8PM

Actually I had had initially assumed that the smoke was from a nearby tree ... hiding in the darkness, but that was not correct. 

Alarming ... I go inside ... "what is that beeping?"... "lights working" ... follow the sound into the kitchen ...  Control panel from alarm system reads, "Open Crt" ... "what the hell does that mean?" Open circuit, I figure, and assume that the alarm system is out. "Does it work at all? Did it send a signal to the monitoring center?  What signal did it send?"  Lights work.  No smoke upstairs, the basement ... full of smoke. I don't want to stay there, but quickly determine that there is no obvious fire.  "Open the broken window" I do. ... some windows and doors, and went back up stairs, to avoid smoke inhalation.  Finish my email (Blackberry still works), drink some coffee, and sit outside while the storm is moving on, and smoke is moving out.

After a bit, I went back to the basement. Smoke was diminished, but still thick.  Another quick look showed that the strike had not only blown in the basement window (a direct blast effect?) but as the electricity traveled into the house, it blasted and destroyed part of the cellar door frame (blast caused by vaporized water?) and  adjoining wall. From the door frame to the aluminum weather stripping, and up to the alarm sensor for the door.  It blew that out with the frame around it, vaporized the sensor and much of the wire.  "Get out of the smoke. It is probably toxic." I do.

Back upstairs ... the hard wired phone does not work.  "Still alarming", I call the alarm monitoring folks.  They tell me that no signals have come in.  I tell them what is going on. "Do you want us to call the fire department?" "No, thanks, I think I am OK." They guide me through trouble shooting, but the best we can do is to shut off the alarm.  They give me the phone number of the local guys to call about the alarm system.  I call and leave a message.

I wander around a bit ... check basement again ... "no fire and less smoke".  Shut the (broken) window, shut things down, and go up to bed.  "Nothing else I can do now."  Have power, Blackberry, I pad and "My Fi" working, I get into bed and drift off to sleep.

Day One: Daylight, Thursday, May 17, 2012

Make a bunch of phone calls, the alrm guy calls and schedules a ...

Update: Writing now Saturday, May 26, 2012

Day One: Thursday, May 17, 2012

Activities ...

Discoveries: Went to make coffee ... no water comes out of the kitchen faucet. "the well pump is out".  I use the water I had collected and bottled water for routine activities (two gallons in reserve, a case of 500ml Pellegrino sparkling water) and can't flush the toilets, and dishwasher and washing machine are out of commission.

Blown out basement window, door frame and general reconstruction issues: Call HB Wood Company.  Leave a message. Call back. Will come and evaluate on Friday Morning.

No land line: Call Fairpoint Communications. Schedule service before the end of Friday.

Disrupted Schedule: Meeting Friday through Monday in Boston. Must delay my participation. Luckily, my presentation is on Sunday, so I can go in on Saturday.

Water Pump and Living Room Light Circuit Out: All breakers intact, Call All Service Electric.  Call back, scheduled a visit for Thursday PM. Evaluation of circuit and well pump. Bulbs and dimmer switch are out in LR, and pump motor is burned out.

Water Pump: Call Hodgdon Well Drilling. Leave a message

Alarm System:  WAM Alarm calls back and schedules a visit for today.  Evaluation shows vaporization of most of wires and sensors around the area that was struck and around to the front of the house.

Insurance: Call USAA, tell them the story and they say, "you are coverd. $500 deductable. go ahead with repairs."

To be continued ...
StepWisely®© Enjoy! Dr. Mike