Date: Fri, 16 Jun 2006 08:24:12 -0500
Reply-To: Jim Felder <felder@KNOLOGY.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jim Felder <felder@KNOLOGY.NET>
Subject: Re: [NVC] The Electric Potter
In-Reply-To: <44922D14.9020703@charter.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=WINDOWS-1252; delsp=yes; format=flowed
Wow. Just yesterday I was wondering why we hadn't heard from you in a
while.
Jim
On Jun 15, 2006, at 11:01 PM, John Rodgers wrote:
> Monday, June 12, 2006; 2:30 pm, Chelsea, AL
>
> *The Main Event:*
>
> I worked in my pottery studio today, fulfilling an order of communion
> ware for the national Presbytery Conference happening here. Usual
> story,
> seated on my throwing stool, potters wheel was wet, hands were wet and
> on the wheel, some water on the floor, left foot on the wet spot.
> Being
> engrossed in my work, I did not really notice nor pay attention to the
> thunderstorm that had brewed up. Seated well back from the open barn
> door – probably 15 feet or so - I just kept on working.
>
> Suddenly there was a tremendous thunderclap, and a large blue
> streak of
> electricity zig-zagged across the floor from the door to where my foot
> was in the puddle. There was a burst of blinding blue-white light
> as the
> electrical energy of the lightening entered my foot and traveled up my
> body through my left leg and trunk, out my arms and to the wheel
> and to
> a ground. In a split second I was slammed against the wall four feet
> behind the potter’s wheel. I slid to the floor, stunned, unable to
> move,
> talk, or open my eyes.
>
> Others in the shop with me called 911 and the Chelsea Fire Department
> Paramedics came to the rescue. They checked me out on the spot. I
> slowly
> came around, but as a precaution an ambulance arrived which
> transported
> me to the Birmingham VA Hospital Emergency Room for a more thorough
> checkup. After several hours I was released and seem to have had no
> ill
> effects but I go for a follow up checkup in a week.
>
> *The rest of the story:*
>
> When I returned home, I found in ruins beside my shop my favorite tree
> in the yard……a big towering red oak tree that had stood for many years
> and is a main food tree for the squirrels in the area. Lightening had
> struck the tree and it had exploded ….. splitting major limbs, and
> blasting chunks of bark, wood, leaves, and twigs out in a forty foot
> radius from the tree. Long 4 inch wide strips of bark were peeled
> vertically from the limbs and trunk as the electrical energy traveled
> the tree trunk.
>
> Unknown to me at the time, three others in my studio had also
> received a
> jolt, but not nearly so bad, since they were standing on dry concrete
> and had on rubber bottom tennis shoes. But it was enough of a jolt to
> make them quite animated for a few moments.
>
> We were all very lucky, especially me.
>
> In the future, during a lightening storm, I will work on no
> machines and
> have no damp feet. I am going to retire to a quiet place in the middle
> of the house, sit on a wood chair on a wooden floor, wear my tennis
> shoes and read a book!!!!
>
> Regards,
>
> John Rodgers
> Chelsea, AL
>
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