Wednesday afternoon, in west Charlotte, a young boy was struck by lightning.
On the sports field in the Johnson C. Smith University campus, in the 100 block of Beatties Ford Road, the 9-year-old-boy was playing around. As his parents turned to walk away from the field, they heard thunder. When they turned around, they saw their son on the ground.
The boy was unresponsive when Charlotte firefighters and medics responded to the emergency call. He presented with life-threatening injuries and was rushed to Carolina’s Medical Center.
Though the medics were able to get his heart beating again, he remains in critical condition.
There are several ways a person can be struck by lightning .
The most fatal scenerio is the direct strike. That is when lightning strikes a person or an item that person is holding. In a direct strike, the full impact of the lightning goes through the victim’s body.
A side flash is when lightning strikes something near the victim and then jumps to that person. Contact potential causes a current through an object when that object is struck, like a fence. Step voltage is when a victim is sitting near the impact of the lightning, and the impact is able to disperse a bit. Finally, a surge voltage is when a source of power is struck and the victim is holding something connected to it, like a land-line phone.
The boy’s chances of survival are much greater if he was struck in one of the less direct manners. Unfortunately, witnesses were unable to relay what kind of lightning strike it was.
When a person is struck by lightning, their entire being is affected.
Many fatalities are a result of cardiac arrest. The severe electric shock can easily stop a victim’s heart. The respiratory system is greatly affected by the electric shock, as well, and it’s important for a victim to get CPR as quickly as possible, to ensure they don’t expire from lack of oxygen.
The nervous system can be affected, causing various chronic or degenerative neurological issues.
A direct strike by lightning also causes what’s called “Lichtenberg figures,” which are tree-like scars that appear on the skin.
Charlotte was not the only area affected by lightning storms recently. Spain’s soccer team was on board their plane when it, too, was struck by lightning.
Needless to say, all our thoughts are with the young boy struck by lightning as he fights for his life.
[ Images courtesy of ABC and BBC ]