BILLINGS — Three individuals experienced the impact of lightning at Glacier High School in Kalispell on Monday. Despite storms being common in Montana, they can still pose a danger to people even when they are indoors.
Billings resident Liz Fulton learned this firsthand 20 years ago.
“It all happened so quickly. I had an indirect lightning strike, but it felt like a direct hit,” shared Fulton during a video call on Tuesday.
It was a spring evening in Billings on Gregory Drive two decades ago when Fulton was trying to bring her cat inside.
“Lightning struck the tree right in my front yard, just a few feet from the front porch,” recounted Fulton.
She went to turn on her porch light, unaware of what was about to happen.
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“When lightning came down through the tree, it arched back through me into the house through the switch,” Fulton said.
The electrical wires had intertwined with the tree roots, causing the lightning to travel through the switch. The impact of the strike threw her against a wall.
“I thought I would lose an arm because of the intense heat I felt. But when I looked down, I realized I was okay,” Fulton added.
Fortunately, Fulton survived the incident, but it serves as a reminder that such occurrences are more frequent than one might think.
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Wetenkamp noted that almost 200 injuries are reported each year due to lightning strikes.
“It’s crucial to understand that if you hear thunder, the thunderstorm is near enough to generate lightning that could strike you,” Wetenkamp advised.
He explained that the safest place during a thunderstorm is indoors or in a hard-top vehicle with closed windows, while remaining cautious.
“Lightning can travel through any metal objects or wires and enter a home that way. It’s best to avoid using appliances when there’s a thunderstorm in the vicinity,” Wetenkamp cautioned.
It’s a lesson in life that Fulton survived and will always remember.
“The sound, sensation, and sight of that night are something I will never forget,” Fulton concluded.
