Thor Guard Information

For Your Information and Safety... Thor Guard Lightning Prediction System

The Crystal Lake Park District has installed a THOR GUARD Lightning Prediction System. The base unit is on the roof of the Soccer Federation’s soccer house. Satellite units are placed at Lippold Park Family Golf Center, Main Beach, and West Beach, as these sites are within a two-mile radium of the base unit. This system predicts when conditions indicate the potential for a lightning strike; it will give a warning eight to 20 minutes in advance of a potential strike, so that everyone can take shelter.

When it senses the potential for a lightning strike-THOR GUARD will sound a 15 second siren and the strobe light on top of the unit will go off. The strobe light stays on as long as there is danger of a potential strike. Everyone must seek shelter immediately in a building or non-convertible automobile.

When the potential for lightning has passed- THOR GUARD sounds three (3) blasts of the siren and the strobe light turns off. This may be as soon as 10 minutes after the sytem has gone off.

 

When the THOR GUARD sounds the warning siren and the strobe light is on:

1. All activities will stop immediately.
2. It is recommended that park patrons seek shelter in their cars (with the windows rolled up) or in a building. Patrons should avoid areas that are highter than the surrounding landscape, they should not use a tree for shelter, and they should keep away from metal objects such as bicycles, golf clubs, fences, umbrellas, etc.
3. Even if the weather appears not to be threatening, everyone should seek shelter. People have been struck, in the past, by a bolt out of the blue. A bolt out of the blue is one that strikes when the sky is clear.
4. Remain in the shelter until the THOR GUARD sounds three blasts of the siren and the strobe light turns off, signaling the all-clear.

CAUTION
The THOR GUARD System helps assess the conditions. Neither the signal nor the system is intended to guarantee that conditions are safe. If the weather is threatening and no warning signal is heard or seen, use good judgement and take shelter. Do not wait for the warning signal to activate, as the system can malfunction.