NewsAthleticsUpper SchoolStudent LifeFaculty/StaffPre-K to 8Service
Strike Guard provides increased safety
Nov 3, 2004 8:00 AM
By Tannika King - Faculty
On average, lightning causes more casualties annually in the United States than any other storm-related phenomenon except floods. This in mind, the Athletic Booster Club purchased the $11,000-Strike Guard Lightning Warning System to protect the Darlington community.
“The Strike Guard system will help athletic programs as well as the total school, said Jerry Sharp, athletic director. “It will definitely save time during storms and tornado warnings. I can now flip a switch from my office to sound the alarm and faculty, staff and students will know to evacuate the fields.”
According to Christoph Zimmermann, president of Wxline LLC (manufacturer of the Strike Guard Lighting Warning System), this type of safety device is located on golf courses and in amusement facilities throughout the United States.
“We have some colleges and universities looking to implement the system, but Darlington is one of the first private schools in the country to install it,” he said.
The lightning sensor is mounted atop the A.J. Huffman ’67 Memorial Athletic Center and can be set to detect lightning within a five- to 30-mile radius. It is currently set to 10 miles.
“The receiver, which is located in my office, tells me on a computer each time a strike happens and how far apart they are,” said Sharp.
After the first strike is detected, an alarm sounds and there is a 30-minute waiting period in which all strikes are documented. If the receiver does not pick up any strikes within this time frame, an alarm denotes that all is clear. If, however, there are strikes during the initial 30-minute period, then another 30-minute period begins. This continues until all is clear. According to Wxline’s Web site, patented optical signal processing and proprietary optical-coincidence technology prevents false alarms.
“All coaches have been told about the Strike Guard, and they know to get everybody off the fields when the horns go off,” said Sharp.
“The Strike Guard system will help athletic programs as well as the total school, said Jerry Sharp, athletic director. “It will definitely save time during storms and tornado warnings. I can now flip a switch from my office to sound the alarm and faculty, staff and students will know to evacuate the fields.”
According to Christoph Zimmermann, president of Wxline LLC (manufacturer of the Strike Guard Lighting Warning System), this type of safety device is located on golf courses and in amusement facilities throughout the United States.
“We have some colleges and universities looking to implement the system, but Darlington is one of the first private schools in the country to install it,” he said.
The lightning sensor is mounted atop the A.J. Huffman ’67 Memorial Athletic Center and can be set to detect lightning within a five- to 30-mile radius. It is currently set to 10 miles.
“The receiver, which is located in my office, tells me on a computer each time a strike happens and how far apart they are,” said Sharp.
After the first strike is detected, an alarm sounds and there is a 30-minute waiting period in which all strikes are documented. If the receiver does not pick up any strikes within this time frame, an alarm denotes that all is clear. If, however, there are strikes during the initial 30-minute period, then another 30-minute period begins. This continues until all is clear. According to Wxline’s Web site, patented optical signal processing and proprietary optical-coincidence technology prevents false alarms.
“All coaches have been told about the Strike Guard, and they know to get everybody off the fields when the horns go off,” said Sharp.
