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Lightning strikes Colorado River guide

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. - Recent heavy electrical storms caused a river guide to get struck by lightning in the inner canyon July 21.

At approximately 9:15 p.m., the Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center received a call reporting that an Arizona Raft Adventures (AZRA) river guide required medical attention because of the strike.

The group was camped at river mile 220.

Arizona Department of Public Safety airlifted the guide to University Medical Center in Las Vegas, Nev. for treatment.

Lightning strikes at the bottom of the canyon are rare, backcountry users can help reduce risk by getting off the water as soon as thunder is heard and not stand in the river or other pools of water during a storm.

People should avoid seeking shelter near trees and bushes that rise above others and avoid cave entrances. If in an open area during a storm, officials recommend assuming the lightning position, which will reduce the chances of getting a direct strike.

People caught in a lightning storm should squat or ball up to be as low as possible, without lying flat on the ground. Wrap your arms around your legs, keep your feet together, and if possible use a sleeping pad or other insulated object to sit on; avoid sitting on backpacks with metal frames.

Serious injuries and fatalities have occurred at Grand Canyon National Park in the past as a result of lightning strikes. Park officials remind visitors that if the sound of thunder follows a lightning flash within 30 seconds or less, they should seek shelter in a building or vehicle, or proceed to the nearest bus stop to get on a park shuttle.

Park officials encourage visitors to remember, "If you see it, flee it; and if you hear it, clear it." More on how to be "lightning smart," is available by visiting Grand Canyon National Park's web site at www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/upload/LightningDanger.pdf.

Additional information about staying safe outdoors can be found at the National Weather Service website www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/outdoors.htm.


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