Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) in Maryland have installed an automated lightning detection system, the Earth Networks Total Lightning Network, to ensure the safety of student-athletes and participants in outdoor activities.
The system will detect in-cloud and cloud-to-ground lightning within an eight-mile radius and will immediately suspend all activities for at least 30 minutes when lightning is detected.
The system will be active seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. to benefit recreational teams and others using high school facilities. Once lightning has not been detected for 30 minutes, a three-five-second horn alert will signal the resumption of activities.
The AACPS Coordinator of Athletics, Clayton Culp, stated that the new system enhances safety and consistency across all sports and schools, eliminating the need to rely on different apps or information sources. The central office and school-based athletics and facilities staff will monitor the system and perform tests before each sports session.
AACPS Athletics website (www.aacps.org/athletics) has a new tab displaying live widgets for the current status of all 13 comprehensive high schools. Access the page directly at www.aacps.org/lightning.