Firefighters and paramedics from Marengo Fire Protection District responded about 7:08 a.m. Tuesday, June 25, 2024 to a report of a person struck by lightning at Nichols Farm and Orchard, 2602 Hawthorn Road in unincorporated Marengo just north of Marengo, and western McHenry County.
Rescuers received a report that a farm worker was closing a barn door when the building was struck by lightning. The victim was conscious and breathing after the lightning strike. He was assessed, treated, and transported by paramedics to OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford with injuries initially believed to be non-life-threatening.
A wide and deep band of thunderstorms moved south-southeast from Wisconsin into northern tier counties and then Chicagoland from about 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. Tuesday morning. The storms were accompanied by intense cloud-to-ground lightning, which continued even on the back side of the storm. There were loud cracks of thunder followed by long, echoing rumbling upward into the cumulonimbus clouds. Due to weather, LifeNet medical helicopter transport service was not available.
There was initially no fire or damage reported to the barn or building, and the lightning may have hit another structure or tree, resulting in an indirect lightning strike of the victim.
Indirect lightning strikes can cause critical injuries and death, moderate injuries or can cause no apparent injury. Indirect lightning strikes are more common than direct lightning strikes.
Lichtenberg figures are fern-like patterns that may appear on the surface of the skin of lightning strike victims. Large Lichtenberg figures can also appear in the ground surrounding the point where lightning struck.
There are two main types of indirect lightning strikes. One involves lightning hitting a building or tree or other structure before affecting the human body via ground current or via current traveling in the structure. The second main type of indirect strike involves a side flash (also known as a side splash), when lightning hits one structure and then arcs through air and strikes the victim. According to the National Weather Service, side flashes generally occur when the victim is within one or two feet of the object that is struck. Side flash strikes are common when victims seek shelter under a tree (stonrgly not recommended).
In most direct strikes, a portion of the current moves along and just over the skin surface (called flashover) and a portion of the current moves through the body — usually internally affecting the cardiovascular system and/or nervous system. The heat produced when lightning moves over the skin can produce burns, but the current moving through the body is of greatest concern. Deep tissue damage can be more extensive and harmful than skin surface burns.
While paramedics begin Advanced Life Support treatment, they also monitor carefully for irregular heart rhythms (dysrhythmias) and seizures.
While the ability to survive any lightning strike is related to immediate medical treatment and Advanced Life Support, the electrical charge or amount of current moving through the body is also a factor affecting the outcomes of permanent damage, disability and death.
According to the National Weather Service, an average of 23 people died per year from 2012 until 2021. This compares to an average 49 per year for tornado fatalities, 98 per year for flood fatalities, 153 for heat fatalities, 38 for cold fatalities, 69 for rip current fatalities, and 58 for wind fatalities.
See the NWS Lightning Safety Website …
Lightning Facts …
(includes more types of lightning strikes defined)
Lightning often strikes the same place repeatedly if it is a tall, isolated object.
Most lightning victims are in open areas or near a tree.
Lightning strikes the U.S. about 25 million times each year.
Lightning can heat its path through the air to five times hotter than the surface of the sun.
Direct Strike … A person struck directly by lightning becomes a part of the main lightning discharge channel. Most often, direct strikes occur to victims who are in open areas. Direct strikes are not as common as the other ways people are struck by lightning, but they are potentially the most deadly. In most direct strikes, a portion of the current moves along and just over the skin surface (called flashover) and a portion of the current moves through the body — usually through the cardiovascular and/or nervous systems. The heat produced when lightning moves over the skin can produce burns, but the current moving through the body is of greatest concern. While the ability to survive any lightning strike is related to immediate medical attention, the amount of current moving through the body is also a factor.
Side Flash … A side flash (also called a side splash) occurs when lightning strikes a taller object near the victim and a portion of the current jumps from taller object to the victim. In essence, the person acts as a “short circuit” for some of energy in the lightning discharge. Side flashes generally occur when the victim is within a foot or two of the object that is struck. Most often, side flash victims have taken shelter under a tree to avoid rain or hail.
Ground Current … When lightning strikes a tree or other object, much of the energy travels outward from the strike in and along the ground surface. This is known as the ground current. Anyone outside near a lightning strike is potentially a victim of ground current. In addition, ground current can travel in garage floors with conductive materials. Because the ground current affects a much larger area than the other causes of lightning casualties, the ground current causes the most lightning deaths and injuries. Ground current also kills many farm animals. Typically, the lightning enters the body at the contact point closest to the lightning strike, travels through the cardiovascular and/or nervous systems, and exits the body at the contact point farthest from the lightning. The greater the distance between contact points, the greater the potential for death or serious injury. Because large farm animals have a relatively large body-span, ground current from a nearby lightning strike is often fatal to livestock.
Conduction … Lightning can travel long distances in wires or other metal surfaces. Metal does not attract lightning, but it provides a path for the lightning to follow. Most indoor lightning casualties and some outdoor casualties are due to conduction. Whether inside or outside, anyone in contact with anything connected to metal wires, plumbing, or metal surfaces that extend outside is at risk. This includes anything that plugs into an electrical outlet, water faucets and showers, corded phones, and windows and doors.
Streamers … While not as common as the other types of lightning injuries, people caught in “streamers” are at risk of being killed or injured by lightning. Streamers develop as the downward-moving leader approaches the ground. Typically, only one of the streamers makes contact with the leader as it approaches the ground and provides the path for the bright return stroke; however, when the main channel discharges, so do all the other streamers in the area. If a person is part of one of these streamers, they could be killed or injured during the streamer discharge even though the lightning channel was not completed between the cloud and the upward streamer.
— National Weather Service
While hazardous, lightning is also helpful in farming. Lightning splits nitrogen gas molecules, and via a process known as nitrogen fixation, transforms nitrogen in the atmosphere into nitrogen forms that are absorbed and useful for plants. Nitrogen is a key component in chlorophyll — a green substance in plants. Grass and plants are often noticeably greener following lightning storms. In fact, the color of plant’s leaves, can indicate nitrogen status in a plant. In humans, nitrogen is an important component of amino acids. In plants, nitrogen is also an important component of amino acids and chlorophyll.
established in 1978, Nichols Farm and Orchard sells a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and flowers. Products are sold direct to stores, and are available at many farmers markets in the City of Chicago and suburbs, including Schaumburg and Evanston, Elmhurst and Oak Park.
Nichols Farm also has a CSA or Community Support Agriculture program that rewards members who support with weekly shipments of seasonal fruits and vegetables from mid-May to December (More info at www.nicholsfarm.com/csa).
According to the farm’s official website, Chef Rick Bayless is quoted saying that Nichols is one of his favorites
DEVELOPING IF CONTENT IS AVAILABLE …
Stay informed with news from The Cardinal’s Emergencies Behind the Scenes Facebook page — Facebook.com/CardinalEmergencies. Includes links to favorite public safety and emergency rescuers and product manufacturers and safety companies that have facebook pages. Submit your pictures or just stay up-to-date on with fire, rescue, EMS and police photo galleries. Please add your public safety photo to the wall album — go direct to the Arlington Cardinal Emergencies Behind the Scenes photos. For a list of all of The Cardinal Facebook fan pages, go to Arlingtoncardinal.com/about/facebook …
Help fund The Cardinal Arlingtoncardinal.com/sponsor