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Regional and Mesoscale Meteorology Branch

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Training and Outreach SLIDER Loop of the Day Calibration/Validation and Visualization GOES-R Proving Ground

Card “B”

Someone else injured by large hail.

First: Help the caller reduce the victim’s continued exposure to injury by following the below instructions.

Second: When exposure to further injury has been reduced as much as possible, then follow standard emergency medical procedures.


Q1: Where are you calling from?
Q2: Is hail occurring now? If so, what size is it?
Q3: Is the victim outdoors, inside a structure, or in a car?
If the caller is…

Injured victim is in an automobile: Card B1

Q1: Where is the victim?
Q2: Is the car damaged?

If the caller IS in the vehicle with the victim:
Tell the caller…

Stop driving. If you can see a safe place close-by to drive the car into (like a garage, or under a highway overpass, or beneath service station awning), do so now. Make sure you pull off the highway completely.
A tree is not the best place to seek shelter. It is common for trees to lose their branches during severe storms.
Do not leave the car until it stops hailing. The car will furnish reasonable protection.
Stay away from windows. Cover your eyes and the victim’s with something (like a piece of clothing). If possible, lay face-down, preferably on the floor. Put very small children under you, and cover their eyes.
Do not try to reach the victim until the hail has stopped.
Stay at your location to help direct emergency responders.

If the caller is NOT in the vehicle with the victim:
Tell the caller:

  • Do not try to reach the victim until the hail has stopped.
  • Stay at your location to help direct emergency responders.

NOTE: If the reported size is ¾” or greater, mark the location of the report on a map. Pass the report along to both the local Emergency Operations Center (or Emergency Manager), and the nearest National Weather Service office (as time permits).

Calling from a structure with someone injured by large hail: Card B2

Q1: Where are you calling from?
Q2: Has the hail done any significant damage?
Tell the caller…

  • Stay inside until it quits hailing
  • Keep yourself and the victim away from windows, especially windows that are being pelted by hail.
  • Check to make sure that all family members, building occupants, pets, etc. are inside, but do not go outside for any reason. If you are hit in the head, you could be seriously injured or even killed.
  • You need to hang up the phone now because the lightning can travel along phone lines and injure you.
Outdoors with a victim injured by hail: Card B3

Q1: Where are you?
Q2: Is there any shelter around you?

Tell the caller:
If it is still hailing, you must find shelter. If you have to move the victim, try to do so with as little neck movement as possible. If you can’t move the victim, find something to protect them from injury – if not their entire body, then at least find something to protect their head. Find shelter for yourself as well.
Stay out of culverts and lowland areas that might fill suddenly with water.
Trees are a last resort. It is common during severe storms for trees to lose their branches. Also, large isolated trees attract lightning.

NOTE: If the reported size is ¾” or greater, mark the location of the report on a map. Pass the report along to both the local Emergency Operations Center (or Emergency Manager), and the nearest National Weather Service office (as time permits).