Nassau County Legislator Roger Corbin (D-Westbury) offers these important safety tips from the Nassau County Department of Health, the American Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help Nassau County residents stay safe during thunderstorms.

All thunderstorms produce lightning, which is unpredictable and can strike when there is no rain. If you hear thunder less than 30 seconds after you see lightning, go indoors and stay indoors for 30 minutes after hearing the last thunder clap (30/30 Rule). Lightning is attracted to tall objects such as trees and telephone poles and to metal and water. If you see flashes of light and hear thunder nearby:

Immediately find shelter in an enclosed building or hard-topped car, not a convertible. Avoid gazebos and open shelters such as a bus shelter or baseball dugout. If in a car, keep the windows closed.

Avoid using a corded telephone or electrical appliances.

Avoid taking a bath or shower since lightning is attracted to water as well as metal and tall objects.

If boating or swimming, immediately return to land and seek shelter.

If you cannot find shelter, go to a low-lying, open place away from trees, poles or metal objects. Make yourself small by squatting down with your feet together, head on your knees and hands over your ears. Do NOT lie flat on the ground!

If someone is hit by lightning, immediately call 911 for help. Individuals hit by lightning are not dangerous to touch; they do NOT carry an electrical charge. If the person is not breathing or does not have a heartbeat, start CPR and administer first aid until help arrives. A lightning strike can cause your heart to stop beating, burns to the skin, broken bones, damage to the nervous system and muscles as well as loss of hearing and eyesight.

For more information, go to www.redcross.org/services/disaster or www.fema.gov/hazard/thunderstorm/index.

Nassau County Legislator Roger Corbin (D-Westbury) reminds residents that September is National Preparedness Month.

"More than 600 Nassau County residents are Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program team members," Corbin said. "CERT educates people about disaster preparedness and trains them in basic disaster response and recovery skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. By becoming a member of CERT you can make a difference."

Anyone can become a member of CERT free of charge. An eight-week basic training course is required, and additional training classes and hands-on exercises are also available to obtain further knowledge.

The eight-week basic training class is being offered on Wednesdays from 7 to 10 p.m. at the South Farmingdale Fire House, 819 Main Street in South Farmingdale on the following dates:

Aug. 27 - Intro to CERT, CERT Organization, Intro to ICS

Sept. 3 - Medical I & II

Sept. 10 - Light Search and Rescue

Sept. 17 - Terrorism, Disaster Psychology, Assisting the Disabled

Sept. 24 - Fire suppression and Table Top Exercise

Oct. 1 - Shelter Introduction & Table Top

Oct. 22 - Disaster Triage

Oct. 29 - Community Outreach, Radio Operation, Graduation.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Instructors are available for questions to 10:30 p.m. For further information, or to sign up for Basic Training, contact the Nassau County Office of Emergency Management at 573-0648 or visit http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/OEM/CC/CERT