According to the National Weather Service (NWS), lightning strikes the United States about 25 million times each year. While lightning mostly occurs during the summer months, it can happen at any time of the year.

Talk with your family about staying safe during thunderstorms. Here are just a few lightning safety tips that the NWS offers if you are indoors:

• Stay off corded phones. You can use cellular or cordless phones;
• Don’t touch electrical equipment such as computers, TVs, or cords. You can use the remote control safely; and
• Stay away from windows and doors that might have small leaks around the sides to let in lightning, and stay off porches.

According to the NWS, if you are outside during a storm it is important to get inside a safe building or vehicle. You are NOT safe outdoors, but if you absolutely cannot get to safety, follow these tips to slightly lessen the threat of being struck by lightning:

• Avoid open fields, the top of a hill, or a ridge top;
• Stay away from tall, isolated trees or other tall objects. If you’re in a forest, stay near a lower stand of trees; and
• If you’re in a group, spread out to avoid the current traveling between group members.