Lightning Safety Tips

Over the years, I’ve had a chance to live around the country. It’s been a spectacular journey and I’ve seen everything from a hurricane and sinkholes in the south to earthquakes, fires and mudslides out west. Up north, it was sleet, snow, and ice. In the middle, a few tornadoes and some of the craziest car denting hail you’d ever want to experience. Now, as I sit looking out the window, I’m watching a severe thunderstorm come through town. With streaks of lighting flashing in the sky and the thunder so intense it’s rumbling even my desk..I got to thinking about some safety tips when lightning is in the air and found some great info from the National Weather Service.

A house or other substantial building offers the best protection from lightning. In assessing the safety provided by a particular structure, it is more important to consider what happens if the structure gets struck by lightning, rather than whether the structure will be hit by lightning. For a shelter to provide protection from lightning, it must contain a mechanism for conducting the electrical current from the point of contact to the ground.

These mechanisms may be on the outside of the structure, may be contained within the walls of the structure, or may be a combination of the two. On the outside, lightning can travel along the outer shell of the building or may follow metal gutters and downspouts to the ground. Inside a structure, lightning can follow conductors such as the electrical wiring, plumbing, and telephone lines to the ground.

Avoid unsafe shelters

Unless specifically designed to be lightning safe, small structures do little, if anything, to protect occupants from lightning. Many small open shelters on athletic fields, golf courses, parks, roadside picnic areas, schoolyards and elsewhere are designed to protect people from rain and sun, but not lightning. A shelter that does not contain plumbing or wiring throughout, or some other mechanism for grounding from the roof to ground is not safe. Small wooden, vinyl, or metal sheds offer little or no protection from lightning and should be avoided during thunderstorms.

How lightning enters a house or building

There are three main ways lightning enters homes and buildings: (1) a direct strike, (2) through wires or pipes that extend outside the structure, and (3) through the ground. Regardless of the method of entrance, once in a structure, the lightning can travel through the electrical, phone, plumbing, and radio/television reception systems. Lightning can also travel through any metal wires or bars in concrete walls or flooring.

Stay safe while inside

Phone use is the leading cause of indoor lightning injuries in the United States. Lightning can travel long distances in both phone and electrical wires, particularly in rural areas. Stay away from windows and doors as these can provide the path for a direct strike to enter a home. Do not lie on the concrete floor of a garage as it likely contains a wire mesh. In general, basements are a safe place to go during thunderstorms.

However, there are some things to keep in mind. Avoid contact with concrete walls which may contain metal reinforcing bars. Avoid washers and dryers since they not only have contacts with the plumbing and electrical systems, but also contain an electrical path to the outside through the dryer vent.

Remember your pets

You may want to consider the safety of your family pets during thunderstorms. Dog houses are not lightning-safe. Dogs that are chained to trees or chained to wire runners can easily fall victim to a lightning strike.

Protect your personal property

Lightning also causes significant damage to personal property each year. In addition to direct strikes, lightning generates electrical surges that can damage electronic equipment some distance from the actual strike. Typical surge protectors will NOT protect equipment from a lightning strike.

To the extent possible, unplug any appliances or electronic equipment from all conductors well before a thunderstorm threatens. This includes not only the electrical system, but also the reception system. If you plan to be away from your home when thunderstorms are possible, be sure to unplug unneeded equipment before you leave.

Summary of lightning safety tips for inside the home

·         Avoid contact with corded phones

·         Avoid contact with electrical equipment or cords. If you plan to unplug any electronic equipment, do so well before the storm arrives.

·         Avoid contact with plumbing. Do not wash your hands, do not take a shower, do not wash dishes, and do not do laundry.

·         Stay away from windows and doors, and stay off porches.

·         Do not lie on concrete floors and do not lean against concrete walls.

Source: National Weather Service Office of Climate, Weather, and Water Services

It is our pleasure to provide this information. If you are traveling to the Tampa area for an military housing or are in need of corporate housing please consider Avenida Suite - Tampa.

Save Money Buying Gas

Good afternoon and thanks for stopping by again this week to visit!

As I was filling up my car with gas this past week, I was thinking…. when are we going to see a drop in these prices? I usually have a few gas stations I like to use, but it always seems to be a gamble as to who will be the cheapest. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to know who has the cheapest gas prices in town? Well, I started doing a little research and found a couple websites you could use to find the best gas prices around. You can even participate and add your favorite station. 

 I think it’s interesting to see what others pay for gas across the United States and Canada. It seems taxes or fees vary in different areas and the prices can vary quite a bit. 

Years ago, I sold my car and decided to bike everywhere. It was a great learning experience, kept me in shape and it allowed me to appreciate the city in a different way. When you’re riding a bike, you’ll see and hear things that you never have noticed when driving. Another great piece to the story…I saved about $5,000 that year. I’m thinking I might have to dust off the old bicycle and start peddling around again. Well…as time has gone by, those hills seems to be a bit higher and the roads are much longer. Boy, I sure am getting thirsty now. I better go start brewing that tea. My favorite chair on the porch is calling….

http://gasbuddy.com/

http://gasprices.mapquest.com/

http://autos.msn.com/everyday/gasstations.aspx

It is our pleasure to provide this information. If you are traveling to the Tampa area for an military housing or are in need of corporate housing please consider Avenida Suite - Tampa.

Gardening Tips

Good Morning! I hope everyone is having a fantastic week!

Spring is here…the time has changed and the days are getting longer. Is it time yet to put the gardening gloves on and plant a few flowers, vegetables or your favorite herbs? If you don’t have a big space, no problem! You can find a few nice pots in one of our local stores and plant your own annuals or herb garden on the porch or deck. If it looks like we might get some low temps, no problem. Pots are a portable way of moving your garden around as you need. I love doing fresh herbs this way because it’s easy to care for, they grow quick, last longer and you save tons from what they cost at the store. Now, the next time you need some fresh herbs to make that dish “ Pop”, grab a pair of scissors and snip a few sprigs from your own garden. Rosemary, thyme, parsley, dill, basil, sage, oregano and chives are so easy to grow.

Try this tip the next time you’re grilling… drizzle some good olive oil on a few baked potatoes, salt and pepper them and add a few sprigs of rosemary. Wrap them up in aluminum foil and pop them on the grill. Cooking time varies with the size of the potatoes and the grill temperature. Try pushing a fork through them and if it’s soft, they are done! Add some of your fresh chives to the table with some butter and sour cream and you have a tasty side dish for whatever you’re grilling.

Check with your favorite local garden center or nursery and you can pick up some plants, soil, tools, advice, and all the other nursery items to start your own little garden. 

Have fun and we’ll see you next week!

It is our pleasure to provide this information. If you are traveling to the Tampa area for an military housing or are in need of corporate housing please consider Avenida Suite - Tampa.

Spring Entertainment

 Spring has officially sprung--so why not throw a fabulous outdoor shindig! As the weather gets warmer, it’s time to move those indoor parties and get together outside.

Whether you like to entertain a small group of friends, family or the entire block, dining outside can be fun, casual and a great way to spend time outdoors.

Here are a few ideas for a nice casual cookout you can do in your backyard, community pool area or park.

 Whether you choose to throw a few burgers and hot dogs over charcoal or cook up some savory chicken and shrimp kabobs on the gas grill, you're certain to delight your guests with good food, great company and tons of fun in the sun.

Tired of the same ol' burgers and steaks on the grill? Here are three simple but scrumptious recipes you might want to try for your next cookout.

Foil Packed Fish: Spread out a sheet of heavy duty, non-stick foil and place a piece of tilapia, salmon or your other favorite fish in the center. Slice up some garlic, onions, sliced lemons or other fruit and veggies and arrange them alongside the fish in the foil. Add salt, pepper or you favorite seasonings. Melt a few tablespoons of unsalted sweet whipped butter, remove from heat and stir in a tablespoon of whole grain mustard. Pour butter/mustard sauce over the fish and vegetables. Fold up the foil and grill the packet for about 20 minutes or until the fish is fully cooked and the veggies are tender.

Shish Kabobs: Cut beef, pork or chicken into cubes, and chop up onions, peppers, tomatoes, pineapple and other fresh produce into large pieces. Arrange the food items in separate bowls on a table and give each guest a few skewers so they can build their own kabob. Grill the kabobs for ten minutes or until the meat is fully cooked.

Grilled Pizza: Place a circle of pre-formed pizza dough on your greased grill and cook for a few minutes. Using a basting brush, brush on a little of your favorite extra virgin olive oil on the top of the dough. Once the first side is fully cooked, flip over the dough and top it with sauce, cheese, vegetables, meat and any other toppings. Close the grill cover and cook until the cheese is melted on top. This may be your new favorite way to cook pizza!

It is our pleasure to provide this information. If you are traveling to the Tampa area for an military housing or are in need of corporate housing please consider Avenida Suite - Tampa.

March Weather Breaks Records

Wow…March is over and the polls are in!  Did you know it was the warmest March on record for dozens of cities across the United States?  I had a feeling it was warmer than usual, but here’s some fun and interesting information:

Chicago and Washington, D.C., you have to go back to the final year of World War II (1945) to find the last time we saw a March with such incredible warmth. 

In Milwaukee, Minneapolis and St. Louis, William Howard Taft was President of the United States the last time we experienced such a mild March (1910). Since then, 17 other Presidents have occupied the Oval Office. 

But this isn't just about simply recording the warmest March on record; we've crushed the previous record in some cases! Chicago and Milwaukee defeated their previous March records by 4.9 and 4.8 degrees, respectively. That's a pretty amazing margin considering this is a monthly average and records in both cities date back to 1871! 

It was nearly a record warm March in New York City, Philadelphia and Denver, however they came up just short and will finish in second place. 

Across the nation, over 7,500 daily record high temperatures were set in March 2012. This includes more than 540 locations that set all-time record highs for the month of March. 

Thanks for stopping by and we’ll see you next week!

It is our pleasure to provide this information. If you are traveling to the Tampa area for an military housing or are in need of corporate housing please consider Avenida Suite - Tampa.