On average, 49 people die in the United States every year due to lightning. This week is Iowa Lightning Awareness Week. Last year in Iowa, two people died due to lightning strikes – including a 35-year-old man riding a horse near Moscow and a 42-year-old woman camping near Hiawatha.

Remember that no place outside is safe near a thunderstorm. As soon as you hear thunder, seek shelter in a building or hard-topped vehicle. Wait 30 minutes until after seeing lightning or hearing thunder before going back outside. According to the National Weather Service, lightning deaths result from cardiac arrest, so if you’re with a victim call 911 first then begin CPR. Approximately 90% of people struck by lightning survive.