School Lightning Procedures                                                   

Lightning Alert Procedures (effective August 2009):

 

Lightning meters are to be kept in the following locations:

1. Secondary PE Office

2. Primary PE Office

3. Sports Office

4. Swimming Office

5. Tennis Office

6. 50m Swimming pool

7. Secondary Office

8. Primary Office

9. Services Managers Office

 

Staff in these locations are to be instructed on:

 

o How to use the meters

o How to switch on the lightning meters and that they are plugged into the power source

o How to ensure that when the meters are used on the batteries they are changed regularly

 

Level 1 Alert:  Meter showing between 3-8

 

Staff should observe the situation closely in order to make a judgement. They should ensure:

All students are out of the swimming pools

There are no students on the fields, nor any other exposed outside areas

Principals to be alerted and to assess the situation and liaise with the Services Manager.

 

Level 2 Alert:  Meter showing between 0-3 or severe thunderstorm warning

 

All students and staff to be inside buildings

No one to be on the hard-courts, nor the exposed walkways

 

Students can return to the pool or to outside areas when the reading has moved from 3-8 and is moving away. It is important to note that you can hear thunder a long way away but it might not be close enough to evacuate. It can be raining without a lightning threat.

 

Communications:

 

  • PE staff will take the decision to bring their children off the field / out of the pools when the meter

readings indicate - or based on their own judgement. This decision must then be communicated to the Principals and Assistant Principal of Sports & Activities.

  • At break times and lunch times, notification of a Level 1 alert is to be communicated to the Principals of the respective schools and an announcement will be made on the School PA system. The Principals will determine when this should be upgraded to a Level 2 alert and an announcement will be made on the PA system accordingly.
  • The Principal will ensure that the alert is immediately conveyed, in person or by a senior colleague, to the relevant staff teaching or on duty in the vulnerable areas. If at break time or lunchtime, messages need to be immediately sent to the teachers on duty and to the Heads of Year.
  • The Principals will make the decision to declare the alert over once it is clear the danger has passed. They will ensure the relevant staff are informed and that an announcement is made over the School PA System.

 

NB: In the absence of a formal notification of an alert, staff who sense danger of possible lightning

strike, should use their initiative to evacuate pools and open spaces.