Six officer cadets struck by lightning

[Sleepyman]

Six full-time national servicemen (NSF) were hurt when a bolt of lightning hit the hill they were training on in Marsiling last week. The men were participating in a training excercise under a shelter during the time.

 

The NSFs, who were undergoing training to become officers, took shelter under a tree from rain at the time when the exercise was temporarily suspended, according to a Straits Times report.

 

Mostly in their late teens, the cadets were taking part in a platoon field-defence mission which required them to capture the top of the hill and set up chest-deep bunkers there to protect themselves against the

[Altivo]

WTF were they under a tree? How is a tree considered training under shelter?

 

anyway, rule one is to get away from high grounds... especially when they are on a hill. I suspect they could be carrying signal sets and didnt break the antenna. Hence it increased the likelihood of being struck by lightning

Edited July 14, 2010 by Altivo

[Kiario]

i ever stand under trees during heavy rain during my nsf days, at training areas like lck, marsiling, what can we do, its either

 

1) stand under trees

2) stand in the open

 

tat time me and my section choose to stand under trees as it seem safer than in the open with the lightning going on.

 

if you are lucky, can walk to the nearest training shed, if its near.

 

Edited July 14, 2010 by Kiario

[Thug]

Officer Cadets yet doesn't have the basic knowledge of DOs and DON'Ts when raining...*clap hands...

[Kingcopa]

sometimes really no choice. Even though we know it is a big NO NO to stay under tall trees during rain but due to situation then.... beside staying under the trees.... there are no other alternatives.

[Freestylers09]

200,000 amps isnt joking..

 

can kill a Godzilla?

 

no wonder everytime movie use Thunder to use power things..haha

[Kiario]

sometimes really no choice. Even though we know it is a big NO NO to stay under tall trees during rain but due to situation then.... beside staying under the trees.... there are no other alternatives.

 

true, but i guess only people in the army doing combat vocation like infantry, guards, commandos can understand.

[Seaweed]

because OCS never teach them not to stand under tree when thuner strike mah...

[Sleepyman]

btw how come no CAT 1 announced? even 15yrs ago they were quite kiasee over this... a little cloud will comms to weather and ask cat status... at least for my infantry unit

[Kingcopa]

btw how come no CAT 1 announced? even 15yrs ago they were quite kiasee over this... a little cloud will comms to weather and ask cat status... at least for my infantry unit

Seriously in Marsiling area... even if delcare Cat1, there are no whr to hide except under the trees. Unless all pack up and go back bunk.

 

I think nowadays, Cat 1 will be announce to all training units over the radio. then excerise will cease till all clear given

[Ichibawa]

So.... officers as such are going to lead our boys to glory huh?

[Kiario]

cat 1 also useless unless echo charlie(exercise cut), else wait till all clear and continue mission.

 

i think only normal exercise like road march, run etc will call check cat 1 status and maybe cancel exercise, missions like bme and atec, cat 1 also must wait, especially when you are already halfway thru the mission.

 

if you complain to encik about safety, he send rover pick you up, after cat 1 clear, he tell you move out from cp yourself & carry on misson, siao liao loh.

Edited July 14, 2010 by Kiario

[So_nice]

the boys probably didnt haf a chance ba. where to hide in such places? maybe they should haf 3 tonners on standby for them to hide if rain

[Mike1234]

They heng leh......

 

If the lightning is more powerful....

 

They can RIP liao.....

 

[thumbsdown]

[Babyt]

its scary to know that SAF actually decide whether to cut exercise based on phone recorded weather report!

 

Do they actually use common sense and do an on spot weather assessment to decide if the weather is clear or not?

 

u can see dark clouds looming around the area and yet they dont want to cut the exercise cos its not CAT1 as per phone call!

 

[Aimnfire]

its scary to know that SAF actually decide whether to cut exercise based on phone recorded weather report!

 

Do they actually use common sense and do an on spot weather assessment to decide if the weather is clear or not?

 

u can see dark clouds looming around the area and yet they dont want to cut the exercise cos its not CAT1 as per phone call!

 

even clear sky can have cat 1

 

i have witness a lighting strike at pasir laba training area under bright sky

 

[Cheesepiekia]

Si bei heng that none of them up dong dong chiang!

[TangoElite]

sometimes really no choice. Even though we know it is a big NO NO to stay under tall trees during rain but due to situation then.... beside staying under the trees.... there are no other alternatives.

 

 

correct!!

 

easy to say avoid trees, but not really possible to do at all training areas.

 

 

i suspect it was the rifle, signal set long attenae or even the ET blade or digging equipment which attracted the lightning, and not really the tree. just speculating

 

 

in my opinion they should be in clean fatigue, no dog tag, weapon secure 1 corner and leave on the ground within sight, and squad or sit down in a sheltered area, possibly under a tree, but definitely dont choose the tallest tree. think this is the safest.