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PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE LIGHTNING

DETECTION RECOMMENDATION
WHY DO WE NEED IT?
To improve the safety of residents and visitors
on Fort Myers Beach
Bring awareness to the danger of lightning
Many visitors have not experienced lightning storms
at their home
Many people do not understand the physics of
lightning (power and reach, hit in clear skies)
Deceiving distance of storms
WHAT DO WE WANT TO COVER?
Beaches
School
Parks (Newton, Bay Oaks, Bowditch, Matanzas
Pass, Mound House etc.)
Playgrounds and Pier
Waterways (Marinas, Mooring Field)
Outdoor Restaurants/Entertainment Areas
Pedestrian and Bikeways
CURRENT WARNINGS
Red Tide Advisory
Toxic /contaminated water
Boil Water Notice
Dangerous Surf
Rip Tides
Severe Thunderstorms
Tornado Warning
Small Craft Advisories
Heat Index
High Pollen
Hurricane Evacuation
Nesting Turtles
Restricted Area Birds Nesting
Stingray Warning
Jelly Fish Warning
WHAT IS A LIGHTNING DETECTION SYSTEM?
A lightning detector is a device that detects
lightning produced by thunderstorms. Ground-
based detectors calculate the location, type
and severity of lightning using radio direction-
finding techniques. Ground-based systems use
triangulation from multiple locations to
determine the location and type of each
lightning strike.
WHAT DOES IT DO/WHAT IS IT FOR?
Provides a warning alert of an impending
lightning storm
Produces a high decibel alarm with a strobe
light
Adjustable alert distance/radius i.e. 6 miles, 10
miles
Provides smartphone applications and online
live streaming
COMPANIES PSC REVIEWED
WeatherBug
Thor Guard
Strike Guard
COMPETITOR ANALYSIS
CAPABILITY
WeatherBug Thor Guard Strike Guard
Types of Lightning Monitored IC & CG N/A CG
Classification Detecti on El ectrostati c Detecti on
Architecture Si ngl e Node + Network Si ngl e Node Si ngl e Node
Location Accuracy =+-M350 N/A Not Documented
Detection Radius Nati onal 15 mi l es 20 mi l es
Lightning Visualization Yes No No
Displays Strike History & Archive Yes No Not Documented
Configurable Hours of Operation Yes Yes Yes
Report Lightning Distance Yes No No
Alert Duration Yes Yes Yes
Countdown Clock Yes Yes Yes
Indoor Alerting Devices Yes No No
Custom Lightning & Severe Weather Notifications Settings Yes No No
Lightning and Severe Weather Alerting to Web-Based Tools Yes No No
Email/SMS Alerts Yes Yes Yes
Marketed Decibels 110db 110db 130db
Communication 900 MHz 27 MHz 27 MHz
Candela Strobe Lights 170,000 500 Not Documented
Battery Back-up Yes Yes Yes
Sensor Maintenance None Manual Moni tori ng Monthl y Cl eani ng
24 x 7 x 365 Network Monitoring Yes No No
Quality Control & Assurance Yes No No
Lightning Safety Technology
WHY RECOMMEND WEATHERBUG?
WHAT WEATHERBUG OFFERS
Environmentally capable unit
Widely accepted lightning detection system
Sole Source vendor
DETAILS OF PHYSICAL MACHINE
Comprised of one or more
110 dBA horn units
equipped with 117,000
peak candela strobe lights,
providing 360 degree of
audio and visual coverage
110 dBA horn is comparable
to a steel mill, auto horn at
1 meter. Turbo-fan aircraft
at takeoff power at 200 ft.
(118 dB). Riveting machine
(110 dB); live rock music
(108 - 114 dB).
Example
HOW IT WORKS
PITCH, PLACEMENT & POPULATION
SOCIAL MEDIA
Streaming Live
Smartphone App
STATISTICS OF LIGHTNING
FATAL CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKE
2:09 PM EDT A cloud-to-ground strike, an estimated .12 miles from the resort, is
identified as the likely fatal strike.
TOTAL LIGHTNING STRIKES DETECTED DURING
FATALITY ON FORT MYERS BEACH
POTENTIAL CONCERNS
Wildlife
Legal Issues
Maintenance
Effectiveness, Education & Understanding
Installation
Nuisance
Naysayers
OPTIONS
Whole Island Limited Island
Bay Oaks
NONE
RECOMMENDATION
To improve the safety of
residents and visitors
on Fort Myers Beach
Awareness
Non-experience
Physics
Deception
Lightning McQueen says
Do you have any questions?
WEATHERBUG PURCHASE COST
$124,011.93
Includes:
Install 17 Outdoor Alerting Systems along
the 7 miles of your beach
Install 1 Weather Station System that will
provide real time and historical local
weather data
StreamerRT
Severe weather alerts delivered via email or
text messages i.e. tornado, thunderstorm,
rip currents, heat index, and many more
Town residents and visitors can download
free mobile phone app to get access to live
lightning strike data and live local weather
information
24/7 monitoring of all of the Outdoor
Alerting Systems that provides proactive
notification if a system goes down
COST ANALYSIS
What is needed for Lightning Protection?
Physical Machine
Internet
Power
Locations
Maintenance
ELECTRICAL
$18,097.86 per pole
Includes:
Install (1)20 feet above Finish Grade
concrete pole and mount 100 amp
services
Trenching, service meter and panel
Include (4) locations with data pipes
installed from the service point to
new concrete pole.
Mounting of systems is included.
All concrete poles are located in a V
zone and will be buried 12 feet in the
ground.
Grand Total: $307,663.62
MAINTENANCE
FPL (per Pole) $7.26
COMCAST (per Pole) $135.45
(17)FPL Total: $123.42 per Year
(4)COMCAST Total: $541.80 per Year
Year: $665.22
Excludes physical maintenance or replacement of
machines.
ACTUAL TOTAL COST
$307,663.62 (Electrical)+
$124,013.92 (Weatherbug)=
$431,675.55
OPTIONS
NONE
Whole Island
Estimated Cost:
$431,675.55
Estimated Cost:
$323,090.38
Estimated Cost:
$6,981.29
Limited Island
Bay Oaks

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