SALWO (Safe Against Lightning Worldwide Organization) is a worldwide, non-profit educational foundation under the patronage of Aplicaciones Tecnológicas. This organisation was created to meet the need for education and training in individual behaviour in the face of thunderstorm hazards.

The phenomenon of lightning is dangerous, especially in open spaces, where people are more exposed. It is essential to be aware of the risk of being outdoors. For example, on beaches, in the mountains, in forests, at sports competitions, in agriculture and livestock farming or any other outdoor activity.

It is in these outdoor areas that most fatal lightning accidents occur. This is due to the absence of means of protection and the difficult access to medical care which means a longer time from the moment of impact.

Every year there are a large number of lightning accidents resulting in deaths and injuries to people. It is not possible to know the exact number because most countries do not keep records of the victims of lightning strikes. However, in 2019, it was estimated that there were more than 20 000 deaths and 240 000 injuries worldwide each year. Most of these incidents are preventable with proper education about the rules of individual conduct to follow.

In the USA, 13 deaths were recorded in 2023, according to the National Weather Service. However, the US has a lot of professional technology installed in buildings. In addition, they have had a major public awareness programme in place for many years. In other regions of the world, however, there are many more casualties, because there is little or no official, accurate and verified information about personal measures to be taken.

At SALWO we are aware of this educational need and our aim is to collaborate with institutions in the education and training of individual behavioural patterns that protect against the risk of lightning strikes.

Therefore, our mission is to train and inform people in a disinterested way to prevent and minimise accidents resulting from incorrect behaviour during thunderstorms.

SALWO: Our offer

SALWO is aimed at institutions committed to the prevention of life-threatening accidents in the face of thunderstorms. Interested organisations can contact us to jointly develop the necessary digital resources. In particular those for educational work in different sectors (academic education, outdoor work, press, etc.).

In fact, we would like to count on your active collaboration in the translation of the various digital materials into the languages of your region.

In addition to these sector-specific resources, we offer free online courses and training. The aim is to educate citizens on basic preventive measures for safe individual behaviour.

The SALWO Foundation is made up of experts in thunderstorm protection. That is why we are up to date with official recommendations. We also actively participate in scientific papers and standardisation committees. In this way, we are able to provide the most up-to-date training for institutions and individuals.  This includes the mechanisms by which lightning causes injuries to the human body, the identification of warning signs with the levels of risk and the lead time they provide, preventive measures that reduce the probability of lightning strikes, as well as mitigating actions to assist injured persons.

To receive more information about SALWO and its mission and to request the resources your institution requires, you can contact us at the following link.

References

1. Cooper, M. A. & Holle, R. L. Reducing Lightning Injuries Worldwide. (2019).