Stuck Outside
There are no safe places outside in a lightning storm. But, there are quite a few things you can do to minimize your risk if you absolutely can not get to safety in time:
Do not seek rain shelter under an isolated tree or two. You may stay dry but your chances of being struck by lightning go way up. Instead, get under a canopy of many trees.
Hiding under a picnic tent, pavilion, or other open or temporary structures attracts lightning.
Stay clear of tall, isolated objects such as power poles, antennaes, flagpoles.
Stay away from metal objects. It's better to be in a raincoat under some trees well away from your backpack, tent poles, and cooking gear. Check out this photo by Ruth Lyon-Bateman from www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov of cows killed by lightning striking the barbed wire fence they were huddled against.
As a last resort if you are somehow caught in the open and lightning is present, current wisdom recommends holding a crouch position as well as you can until the storm has passed.
Have each person at least 50 feet apart to minimize group injuries
Remove jewelry, watches, belt buckles, other metal items that may cause severe burns if you are struck
Stand on a plastic sheet, sleeping pad, or such thing that will isolate you from the wet ground to minimize your conductivity
Squat down, sitting on the heels of your feet with the balls and toes of your feet touching the ground to lower your height
Keep your feet as close together as possible to minimize your footprint - strikes close to you will send out tendrils of electricity so the more ground contact you have, the greater your risk
Tuck your head down to your knees to minimize chance of a strike on the head and give lightning that does hit you a path down your back to ground - your chances of survival are greater
cover your ears to protect against hearing damage from close strikes
close your eyes to minimize blindness from close strikes
Try to hold this position for the hour that the storm takes to pass through - good luck!
Wouldn't it be much better to get to a sheltered location before the storm catches you?
While golfing or at a sporting event:
toss your clubs, bats, or other gear aside and get far away from them
get away from your golf cart, do not sit in it while the rain passes
get away from all metal objects and tall objects - goal posts, score boards, fences, bleachers, light poles, flag poles, baseball bats, ...
While boating:
If the boat has no cabin, get off the water as soon as skies become threatening
Go below deck in a boat with a cabin
Avoid all metal fixtures and objects
Put away your fishing pole
Stay out of the water
Do not use the radio or other electronics
Link to source: http://www.emergencydude.com/storm.shtml
