THORGUARD Lightning Strike Prediction Equipment Status Report

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Abigayle Wilcox
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1 White Paper October 30, 2007 THORGUARD Lightning Strike Prediction Equipment Status Report Prepared By: Phillip Reid Director of Security & Environmental Management Ext For: Dr. Russell Clukey Executive Director Support Services Ext

Pictures of the THORGUARD Lightning Strike Prediction equipment that is

Equipment control box (L75R Model) Strobe Light THORGUARD Horn Company:

partner of Gulf Coast Products 2926 Oak Lea Drive, suite 101, Wayzata, MN

2 Pictures of the THORGUARD Lightning Strike Prediction equipment that is installed on our school campuses. Equipment control box (L75R Model) Strobe Light THORGUARD Horn Company: THORGUARD Company Installer and Contact information: Mark Josefson Managing partner of Gulf Coast Products 2926 Oak Lea Drive, suite 101, Wayzata, MN Wild Pines Drive, suite 307, Bonita Springs, FL Voice: Cell: Fax:

3 Other than CCPS, where else is the THORGUARD Lightening Prediction Equipment being used? Golf Courses, Parks and Recreation, Cities and Municipalities, Schools and Universities, Airports, Airlines and Helipads, Government Agencies, Emergency Management Agencies, Construction, Explosive and Demolition Companies, Sporting Events, Stadiums, Resort and Ski Areas, and Amusement Parks, Civic and Broadcast Companies. Why do we need to use it? The Collier County School Board considers the safety of its 46 schools and nearly 43,000 students its largest responsibility. As we are all aware, southwest Florida s climate can undergo rapid changes in a moment s notice. Lightning is the second most frequent climate related cause of death in the United States with nearly 100 deaths and 500 injuries each year. That means stray bolts claim the lives of more victims on a yearly basis than any other weather related incident except for floods. Here in Southwest Florida, the lightning capital of the country, lightning has caused over two thousand injuries in the last 50 years. The Collier County School District takes these numbers very seriously and has ordered the installation of lightning prediction systems for all district schools. How does the THORGUARD Lightning System work? The THORGUARD system is a Lightning predictor which measures and analyzes the electrostatic field in the atmosphere to predict the risk of a possible lightning strike. This differs from Lightning detection systems which require lightning to strike the ground before a warning can be issued. The benefit of a Lightning Prediction system over a Lightning Detection system is that lightning prediction senses and evaluates the shifts and changes in the electrostatic field that precede the occurrence of an actual lightning strike. The system predicts the probability of a lightning hazard in an area up to 25 square miles. More importantly, it also provides a specific reading of the risk in your immediate area. Couple the PREDICTION capability of the THOR GUARD system with their interactive horn warning system, and you have a true automatic advance warning package. The new Thor Guard Lightning Prediction System measures charges in the atmosphere and in the ground. When those two charges become very diverse, the chances of lightning increase dramatically. This system will warn of a possible lightning strike, even on a sunny day. This kind of event is referred to as a bolt out of the blue, a condition where very powerful lightning discharges may occur even with no visible clouds in the immediate area. When did the installations begin for CCPSs? The installation of the equipment was initiated this past summer. The plan was to get going with the installation and begin formalizing the training necessary to understand and manage the equipment. The high schools were the priority, followed by the middle and then elementary schools. There are three new schools, Veterans Memorial, Parkside Elementary and Cypress Palm. Their installations will be completed by October 31, 2007.

4 Where has the equipment been installed? As indicated below, all of our schools are covered by the equipment except the new schools that were built this year. Installations for the remaining schools will be completed by October 31, Our schools were installed with either base or slave equipment (see below). A school received base equipment because of their extensive and extended hours of outdoor activities, and any school in close proximity received slave equipment. The school with base equipment provides lightning strike prediction coverage for their school s activities, as well as for the activities of the nearby school with the slave equipment. The base equipment consists of a control box, horns and strobe lights (pictured above) and the slave equipment consists only of the horns and strobe lights. Because of their close proximity, it was unnecessary and too expensive to install base equipment at all of our schools. It should also be noted that we are in the process of tailoring the active hours and range of coverage of the equipment according to the specific needs of each school and trying to minimize any unnecessary annoyance to our schools neighbors.

5 North Naples Middle School North Naples Middle School Naples Park Elementary Naples Park Elementary Pelican Marsh Elementary Pelican Marsh Elementary Gulf Coast High School Gulf Coast High School Laurel Oak Elementary Oak Ridge Middle School Vineyards Elementary Vineyards Elementary Big Cypress Elementary Big Cypress Elementary Barron Collier High School Barron Collier High School Osceola Elementary Pine Ridge Middle School Poinciana Elementary Golden Gate High School Golden Gate High School Golden Gate Primary Golden Gate Intermediate Golden Terrace Primary Golden Terrace Intermediate Golden Gate Middle School Calusa Park Elementary Calusa Park Elementary Naples High School Naples High School Lake Park Elementary Gulfview Middle School Shadowlawn Elementary Shadowlawn Elementary East Naples Middle School Avalon Elementary Avalon Elementary Lely High School Lely High School Lely Elementary School Lely Elementary School Manatee Elementary Manatee Elementary Manatee Middle School Tommie Barfield Elementary Tommie Barfield Elementary Palmetto Ridge High School Palmetto Ridge High School Corkscrew Middle School Remote Horn Slave to Gulf Coast High School Remote Horn Slave to Gulf Coast High School Base Units No Slaves Base Units No Slaves w/transmitter Remote Horn Slave to Barron Collier High School Remote Horn Slave to Barron Collier High School Remote Horn Slave to Barron Collier High School w/transmitter Remote Horn Slave to Golden Gate High School Remote Horn Slave to Golden Gate High School Remote Horn Slave to Golden Gate High School Remote Horn Slave to Golden Gate High School Remote Horn Slave to Golden Gate High School w/transmitter Remote Horn Slave to Naples High School Remote Horn Slave to Naples High School w/transmitter Remote Horn Slave to Shadowlawn Elementary w/transmitter Remote Horn to Manatee Elementary Base w/transmitter Remote Horn Slave to Palmetto Ridge High School

6 Equipment needed for Schools built this year: Parkside Elementary Remote Horn Veteran's Memorial Elementary L75B Cypress Palm Middle Remote Horn Lorennzo Walker Tech High Remote Horn Immokalee Career Center Remote Horn Bethune Ed. Center Remote Horn Immokalee Community School Remote Horn Schools with base equipment that need upgrades: The systems at Lely High and Sabal Palm Elementary will need to be upgraded to an L75R in order to signal the remote horn systems. Parkside Elementary will be activated by Lely High and Cypress Palm Middle will be a slave to Sabal Palm Elementary. All other systems will be slaves to existing L75R systems. Cost of new equipment and upgrades per school: Parkside Elementary $ Veteran's Memorial Elementary $ Cypress Palm Middle $ Lorennzo Walker Tech High $ Immokalee Career Center $ Bethune Ed. Center $ Immokalee Community School $ Lely High Upgrade $ Sabal Palm Elementary Upgrade $ Total cost: $27, Training: To date, the Vendor has provided general Training to the Plant Operators on how the system works. On October 31, he will provide them hands on training on how to operate the equipment. During their meeting on October 3, 2007, the Athletic Directors (ADs) were provided a briefing from the Vendor who also addressed their many questions. During this meeting, the ADs requested a list of Talking Points that they can use when answering questions from the Press. We are in the Process of writing these Talking Points. In addition, we are currently scheduling hands on training at individual schools, identified by the ADs, for ADs, POs and trainers. We are also in the Process of writing a briefing to be disseminated to the Principals. We will be sending to the Principals a request to identify their time frames of when they need the equipment to be active.

7 Media Relations: So far the Media reporting has been favorable. We have been interviewed by Naples Daily News and Bloomberg Financial Magazine out of Atlanta. Dr. Jori Westbury, Principal at Tommy Barfield Elementary School, held a Press Conference to inform her community about the equipment and how it s a safety benefit to the school and members of the community. She also conducted Lightning Strike Prevention Drills, teaching students the importance of taking cover when the alarm sounds. Dr. Westbury plans to hold these drills once a year. Response to complaints: The Security and Environmental Management Team responds very quickly to all complaints and concerns related to the installation and activity of this equipment. The complaints and concerns are generated from our own school personnel and from private citizens whose neighborhoods are within hearing distance of the warning alarms. They are contacted by either someone from the Security and Environmental Management Team or Thor Guard. What s ahead: Once the installations are completed, the system will be accessible from any computer to make adjustments remotely, i.e.; time parameters and range. It will also be a very convenient way of making certain the equipment at each site is up and running and in good working condition. The vendor plans to have a system in place that will provide weather related warning information to the PDAs and cell phones of those who need this information, such as Principals, Athletic Directors and Plant Operators. He is also planning to install a system that will log in actual lightening strikes, which will continually assess the credibility to the prediction equipment. Thor Guard is planning to install Weather Stations on various campuses, which will be accessible by computer by anyone with authorization. They are also considering providing portable Stand Alone prediction equipment that could be used, for instance, during football practice. The coach would be in full control of the equipment. Talking Points for Principals and Athletic Directors: Lightning is the second most frequent climate related cause of death in the United States with nearly 100 deaths and 500 injuries each year. The Collier County School Board considers the safety of its 46 schools and nearly 43,000 students its largest responsibility. As we are all aware, southwest Florida s climate can undergo rapid changes in a moment s notice. For those reasons, we felt the need to properly protect the most valuable resources we have, our students and staff, with the THORGUARD system. The THORGUARD system is a Lightning predictor which measures and analyzes the electrostatic field in the atmosphere to predict the risk of a possible lightning strike. This differs from Lightning detection systems which require lightning to strike the ground before a warning can be issued.

8 Lightning prediction systems such as THORGUARD are a far better detection and safety mechanism than Lightning detection systems. The benefit of a Lightning Prediction system over a Lightning Detection system is that lightning prediction senses and evaluates the shifts and changes in the electrostatic field that precede the occurrence of an actual lightning strike. The THORGUARD system does not shut down due to cloud to cloud discharges like Lightning detection systems, since the THORGUARD system monitors the electrostatic Atmosphere and compares all readings to a finite database. The THORGUARD horn warning remote horn cluster is yards in a 360 degree pattern. Frequently Asked Questions: How doe s lightning "Prediction" differ from lightning "Detection"? Lightning "detection" systems detect the electromagnetic signatures that are the by product of actual lightning strikes. Lightning "prediction" senses and evaluates the shifts and changes in the electrostatic field that precede the occurrence of an actual lightning strike. This is the reason why our unique lightning prediction technology has always been able to provide warning before the first strike. According to a leading lightning detection manufacture's specification sheet, they need three strikes within 10 miles before they achieve peak operation. What if the first strike is right on top of you? How much advance warning can I expect from a THOR GUARD lightning prediction system to find appropriate shelter? The THORGUARD system has been designed to offer various sensitivity levels in order to satisfy a diverse range of client needs and geophysical locations. In a typical user selected range (12 mile/2 miles) the system would provide 8 to 20 minutes advance warning. It is important to note that lightning does not need to be visible before a warning is given. Our unique "Field Collapse Counter" is the most accurate lightning detection method in existence today and will respond to subtle migrations of potentially dangerous energy. Is there a minimum acceptable range for how close a lightning strike has occurred before shutting down operations? This is not an issue when using a THOR GUARD system because we are predicting strike probabilities for your immediate area of concern and updating the data 50 times a second. For lightning detection systems, however, the choice of the correct range is critical. The most recent data from a 1998 study by Messrs. Holle & Lopez (Severe Storm Center) would indicate that the minimum acceptable range from the last strike should be no less than 6 8 miles. This obviously would indicate that waiting for lightning to reach the previous standard of a 0 5 mile range, is dangerous. The new data also challenges the popular "Flash to Bang" theory because lightning can rarely be seen and/or thunder heard, as far away as 6 8 miles

9 Is it true that there is no statistical or data based evidence that THOR GUARD predicts lightning? No it is not true! Actually there are several patents on the system dating back to the 1970's proving its unique abilities and adherence to a strict database system. The, further enhancement of this science is proprietary and therefore not available for publication. What is the difference between lightning "protection" and lightning "warning" devices? If you should hear that the THOR GUARD product is not a "protection" device or system, that would be correct. We offer lightning "warning" systems, not "protection" systems. According to the "Lightning Protection Institute" a lightning "protection" device provides actual protection against a strike. In this category are surge suppressors, lightning rods, grounding systems, large buildings, etc. THOR GUARD WARNS PEOPLE, BEFORE A STRIKE WILL HIT, TO GO AND SEEK "PROTECTION"! Any company that represents that a lightning detector or horn warning system is lightning "protection" does not understand the facts. What is the audibility range of one Voice of THOR horn warning remote and is this system capable of operating solely on solar power (no wires)? The normal range of one "horn cluster" (six, air horns) is yards, in a 360 pattern. Typography, tree density, air moisture content and ambient noise are all factors that will affect performance, (Example: A normal 18 hole golf layout will need (1) Base Transmitter/Horn Cluster and (2) Remote Receiver/Horn Cluster locations. More than 95% of all new installations now utilize solar power as the primary power source (not just as a backup like competitive systems). We actually prefer the solar option because access to external power is expensive and unreliable. We have also discovered that battery life (12 volt) may also be extended. Does your system shut down due to cloud to cloud discharges like detection systems or is it prone to giving false alerts ("false positives")? No, our system does not shut down due to cloud to cloud discharges. Because we monitor the electrostatic atmosphere and compare all readings to a finite database, we seldom issue false warnings that result in out horns being activated. Do you think that all the professional golf tours and other clients would continue to utilize our products after years of experience if we gave false readings?

10 Poster LIGHTNING WARNING LIGHTNING IS A SEVERE HAZARD THAT MUST BE VIEWED SERIOUSLY. EVERYONE SHOULD IMMEDIATELY SEEK SHELTER ANY TIME THEY BELIEVE LIGHTNING THREATENS THEM, EVEN IF A SIGNAL HAS NOT BEEN SOUNDED. YOU WILL BE WARNED BY OUR THOR GUARD LIGHTNING PREDICTION SYSTEM, WHICH SOUNDS ONE 15 SECOND BLAST OF THE HORN SIGNALING SUSPENSION OF ALL ACTIVITIES (IF EQUIPPED, A STROBE LIGHT WILL BEGIN FLASHING AND REMAIN FLASHING UNTIL SAFE CONDITIONS RETURN). YOU SHOULD IMMEDIATELY SEEK AN APPROPRIATE, SAFE SHELTER. YOU MAY RESUME ACTIVITIES ONLY AFTER THREE 5 SECOND BLASTS OF THE HORN ARE SOUNDED AND THE STROBE LIGHT, IF EQUIPPED, STOPS FLASHING. IF YOU REMAIN OUTDOORS AFTER THE WARNING IS ISSUED, YOU DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK!!! LIGHTNING SAFETY TIPS SEEK Large Buildings Lightning Shelters Automobile/Trucks Tunnels with No Standing Water When one of the above is not available Seek.. Dense Woods Low Lying Areas AVOID Open Areas Water Tall Trees Metal Fences Overhead Wires & Power Lines High Ground Areas Telephone & Cellular Phones Small, Unprotected Shelters

Information Reception: Decision Support Standards: Public Notification Plan: Protection Program: Education:

Information Reception: Decision Support Standards: Public Notification Plan: Protection Program: Education: The National Weather Service (NWS) has implemented a voluntary recognition program to help large outdoor venues, including those on university campuses, better protect staff and patrons from the dangers