BILLINGS — Three individuals were hospitalized after being struck by lightning at Glacier High School in Kalispell on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024.
While thunderstorms are a common occurrence in Montana, they can pose a significant risk to individuals even when they are indoors.
Twenty years ago, Billings resident Liz Fulton had a frightening experience that left a lasting impact on her.
“It all happened so quickly. I experienced an indirect lightning strike that felt like a direct hit,” Fulton recalled.
On a spring night in Billings two decades ago, Fulton was outside trying to coax her cat indoors.
“A bolt of lightning struck the tree in my front yard, just a few feet away from the porch,” Fulton recounted.
After attempting to turn on the porch light, Fulton was caught off guard by what happened next.
“The lightning traveled down the tree, passed through me, and entered the house through the switch,” Fulton explained.
The electrical wires had intertwined with the tree roots, causing the lightning to follow the path through the switch. The impact of the strike threw her against a wall.
“I thought I would lose my arm because I felt this intense heat traveling through it. But when I looked, I was okay,” Fulton remembered.
Fortunately, Fulton survived the incident and lived to share her story, which is more common than many realize.
“On average, there are approximately 27 lightning-related fatalities nationwide each year,” said Billings National Weather Service meteorologist John Wetenkamp.
Wetenkamp noted that close to 200 injuries are reported annually as a result of lightning strikes.
“It’s crucial to understand that if you can hear thunder, the thunderstorm is close enough to generate lightning that could strike you,” Wetenkamp advised.
He emphasized that the safest place to be during a thunderstorm is inside a building or a hard-top vehicle with the windows up, while remaining cautious.
“Lightning can travel through 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 added.
For Fulton, the experience served as a valuable lesson that she was fortunate to survive.
“The memory of that night and what I experienced is something that stays with me,” Fulton reflected.