Lightning strikes have been known to cause fatal injuries. However, these cases have not been adequately highlighted in Malaysia. This paper reports on three cases of military personnel who lost their lives after being struck by lightning while on operational duties. It is extremely important to implement adequate safety measures and ensure that all military personnel are adequately trained on emergency procedures, such as Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) to prevent casualties of lightning strikes in future. This paper addresses several issues to avoid similar occurrences; the importance of taking extra safety precautions and recognizing signs of lightning strikes, as well as the immediate administration of CPR on victims.
Disaster can strike at any time on a small or large scale, but if an institution is prepared, the damage may be reduced or avoided. A disaster is a serious disruption of the functioning of a society, causing widespread human, material, or environmental losses which exceed the ability of affected society to cope using only its own resources. Disasters are often classified according to their speed of onset (sudden or ‘slow burning’), or according to their cause (natural or man-made). There is no single and specific method in handling a disaster. The application and method of disaster management do not only depend on types, location and levels of disaster, but also depend on the effectiveness and good system of management as well as the total commitment of first responders and disaster managers involved in handling a disaster. National Security Council Directive No. 20 is both a proactive and reactive generic plan to manage disasters in Malaysia. It is an integrated disaster management plan in mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.