Florida’s lightning risks | Expert discusses safety and long-term effects
As Florida leads the nation in lightning strikes, an Orlando Health ORMC emergency medicine physician explains the dangers, long-term effects, and safety measures for summer storms
942 ON YOUR MONDAY MORNING AND FLORIDA, AS WE KNOW, IS THE LIGHTNING CAPITAL OF THE NATION THIS MORNING. THE POTENTIAL DANGERS OF SUMMER STORMS ARE TOP OF MIND. WHILE MANY PEOPLE KNOW A LIGHTNING STRIKE CAN BE DEADLY, FEW ARE ACTUALLY REALIZE THE LASTING HEALTH EFFECTS SURVIVORS CAN FACE. JOINING US NOW LIVE TO TALK ABOUT LIGHTNING, SAFETY, INJURIES AND WHAT EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW. THIS STORM SEASON IS EMERGENCY MEDICINE PHYSICIAN AT ORLANDO HEALTH, OR M C DOCTOR JAY JAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US THIS MORNING. WE APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. SO FIRST OF ALL, WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS TO THE BODY WHEN SOMEONE IS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING, WHETHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, EITHER ON THE HEAD, THERE’S A NUMBER OF INJURIES THAT CAN OCCUR. AND OBVIOUSLY WE’RE ALL WORRIED ABOUT DIRECT HITS. DIRECT HIT IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT IN THAT LIGHTNING STRIKES CAN BE 10,000 OR 10,000,000V OF ELECTRICITY. THEY’RE OFTEN MILLISECONDS LONG, BUT THE MOST SERIOUS COMPLICATIONS THAT CAN STOP YOU FROM BREATHING, MEANING YOU CAN HIT YOUR BRAIN OR SPINAL CORD AND CAUSE YOU TO HAVE COMPLETE CESSATION OF BREATHING CAN ALSO STOP YOUR HEART. SO YOU GO INTO A ASYSTOLE, MEANING YOU HAVE NO HEART OR NO PULSE, AND THEREFORE YOU NEED RESUSCITATION, BUT ARE MUCH MILDER EFFECTS LIKE BURNS AND TRAUMA THAT CAN OCCUR FROM THE INJURY. BECAUSE AGAIN, IT’S VERY POWERFUL FORCE. YEAH. AND YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT THAT TRAUMA YOU EXPERIENCE IN THAT MOMENT. IT ALL SOUNDS TERRIFYING, BY THE WAY. BUT LET’S TALK ABOUT THOSE LONG TERM PHYSICAL OR EVEN NEUROLOGICAL EFFECTS THAT PEOPLE CAN EXPERIENCE. YES. IF YOU’RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO SURVIVE A HIT AND OFTEN THESE INJURIES ARE MORE FROM CONTACT SOMEONE TOUCHING A WIRE OR BEING NEAR A STRIKE LIKE A TREE OR THE GROUND. YOU CAN HAVE LONG TERM EFFECTS. THE MOST COMMON BEING ACTUALLY OCULAR OR EAR THREAT. SO YOU CAN OFTEN RUPTURE YOUR EAR MEMBRANE, HAVE VERTIGO SYMPTOMS LIKE THAT. YOU CAN ALSO HAVE NEUROPATHY, MEANING YOU HAVE RANDOM PAINS, NUMBNESS, EVEN PARALYSIS THAT CAN LAST FOR WEEKS OR EVEN MONTHS AFTER A LIGHTNING STRIKE. AND THEN A LOT OF PATIENTS WILL ACTUALLY END UP HAVING CATARACTS THAT DEVELOP. AND THESE YOUNG PEOPLE MONTHS LATER. SO THERE’S A LOT OF FOLLOW UP THAT NEEDS TO OCCUR. AND, YOU KNOW, DOCTORS LIKE PEOPLE, GOD FORBID, THEY DON’T WANT TO SEE SOMEONE GET STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. BUT WHAT SHOULD BYSTANDERS DO IF THEY DO SEE SOMEONE IS HIT BY LIGHTNING. I WANT TO HIT ON ONE MYTH REAL QUICKLY. IF SOMEONE IS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING, ONE MAKE SURE YOU’RE IN A SAFE SPOT TO RENDER AID. BUT TO CALL 911 BUT THREE, IT’S OKAY TO APPROACH THE PATIENT AND TOUCH THEM. WE KNOW THAT MOST OF THESE PATIENTS, IF THEY’RE NOT RESPONSIVE, THERE’S PROBABLY AN ISSUE, AGAIN, WITH THEIR BREATHING OR THEIR HEART. AND JUST BY PERFORMING CPR, YOU CAN SAVE THEIR LIVES. YOU’RE NOT GOING TO GET ELECTROCUTED BY TOUCHING THEM. THAT IS A MYTH THAT SOMETIMES OUT THERE IT’S OKAY TO PERFORM CPR. BUT AGAIN, CALL NINE ONE. MAKE SURE YOU’RE SAFE AND THEN START CPR. IF THEY’RE AWAKE, JUST HOLD THEM IN AN AREA THAT YOU FEEL IS SAFE, OR BRING THEM TO AN AREA THAT’S SAFE UNTIL YOU CAN GET FURTHER CARE. THAT’S PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS OF THE MORNING RIGHT THERE IS YOU CAN TOUCH THEM. YOU CAN HELP BECAUSE I THINK THERE’S A LOT OF MISCONCEPTION AND A LOT OF CONFUSION OVER THAT. SO THAT’S IMPORTANT. CONTINUING ON THOSE MISCONCEPTIONS, LET’S TALK ABOUT WHAT THE BIGGEST ONES ARE WHEN IT COMES TO LIGHTNING SAFETY. AND THEN OF COURSE, WHAT WE CAN DO TO PROTECT OURSELVES DURING THESE STORMS, LIKE A LOT OF THESE THINGS, PREVENTION IS KEY. SO STANDING CROUCHED OR CROUCHING DOWN CLOSE TO THE GROUND DOES NOT MAKE YOU SAFE. WHEN YOU’RE ON AN OPEN FIELD. IT’S BETTER TO DO THAT TO BE STANDING UNDER A TREE, OR TO BE NEXT TO AN OBJECT THAT’S TALLER THAN YOU, BUT GETTING INSIDE IS THE SAFEST THING TO DO. IF YOU’RE IN AN AREA AND YOU DECIDE YOU’RE GOING TO CROUCH DOWN WITH YOUR FEET CLOSE TO EACH OTHER, IT’S BECAUSE THERE’S NO OTHER SHELTER AROUND. IF NOTHING ELSE, GET INSIDE OF A VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE, AS LONG AS IT’S GOT A HARD METAL TOP, WILL KIND OF SHIELD YOU FROM DIRECT STRIKE QUITE A BIT. IT’S NOT QUITE AS SAFE AS INSIDE, BUT AGAIN, IT KEEPS YOU SAFER THAN BEING OUT IN A FIELD OR OUTSIDE WHERE MOST OF OUR FATAL INJURIES OCCUR. YEAH. IMPORTANT INFORMATION THERE, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE’VE HAD A COUPLE PEOPLE INJURED THIS PAST WEEKEND. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US THIS MORNING. WE APPRECIATE YOU. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU MAY BE AT HOME LISTENING TO THIS GOING. I’VE LIVED IN FLORIDA MY WHOLE LIFE. I KNOW, I KNOW, YOU DON’T KNOW, YOU REALLY DON’T KNOW UNTIL IT HAPPENS. AND ALSO, HOW MANY PEOPLE DO WE HAVE MOVING HERE? THAT’S THAT’S THE THING. I MEAN, LIGHTNING IS ONE OF THESE WILD PHENOMENA. YOU KNOW, IT’S IT’S SOME FIVE TIMES HOTTER THAN THE SURFACE OF THE SUN, RIGHT? I MEAN, JUST YESTERDAY WE HAD
Florida’s lightning risks | Expert discusses safety and long-term effects
As Florida leads the nation in lightning strikes, an Orlando Health ORMC emergency medicine physician explains the dangers, long-term effects, and safety measures for summer storms
Updated: 9:57 AM EDT Jul 6, 2026
Florida is the lightning capital of the nation, and the potential dangers of summer storms are top of mind this season. Dr. Jay Ladde, the vice chair of emergency medicine at Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC), discussed what happens to the body when someone is struck by lightning, whether directly or indirectly. He also explained the long-term physical or neurological effects survivors may experience. Ladde provided guidance on what bystanders should do if someone is struck by lightning: make sure it is safe to approach, call 911, and begin CPR until further care can be received. Finally, Ladde addressed a common misconception about lightning safety and shared advice for families to protect themselves during summer storms. >> Watch the full interview in the video player above. Click here to learn more about Orlando Health ORMC.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
Florida is the lightning capital of the nation, and the potential dangers of summer storms are top of mind this season.
Dr. Jay Ladde, the vice chair of emergency medicine at Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC), discussed what happens to the body when someone is struck by lightning, whether directly or indirectly.
He also explained the long-term physical or neurological effects survivors may experience.
Ladde provided guidance on what bystanders should do if someone is struck by lightning: make sure it is safe to approach, call 911, and begin CPR until further care can be received.
Finally, Ladde addressed a common misconception about lightning safety and shared advice for families to protect themselves during summer storms.
>> Watch the full interview in the video player above.
Click here to learn more about Orlando Health ORMC.