Religious Buildings and
Lightning Protection Systems
By Jennifer Morgan and Michael Chusid
I
n many spiritual traditions, lightning is associated with a
higher realm. Yet its destructive force has down-to-earth
implications for houses of worship. Lightning is one of the
leading causes of fires in sacred places, causing an alarming 20
percent of all fires that damage religious buildings. It can damage
structures, equipment and building contents, and of course it can
injure the occupants. Lightning strikes approximately 25 million
times a year in the United States, and every part of the country is
at risk. This threat can be mitigated with reliable, practical, and
affordable lightning protection systems (LPS).
Risk Assessment
To determine if a building needs an LPS, helpful guidance is
provided through the Simplified Risk Assessment in the Na-
tional Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 780 – Standard for
Lightning Protection Systems, available as an online app at
www.bit.ly/LightningRisk. After submitting a building’s loca-
tion, height, and roof area, the app asks several questions about
the building’s construction and occupancy. It then calculates
whether an LPS is required. NFPA 780 is incorporated into build-
ing codes in many jurisdictions, as well as NFPA 909 and NFPA
914 standards, respectively, for protection of religious buildings
and historic buildings. But sacred places are especially vulnerable
to lightning damage due to:
• Height: Steeples, crosses, minarets, and other religious sym-
•
•
•
When Shove Memorial Chapel, Colorado Springs, Colorado, was damaged
by a lightning strike, falling masonry could have injured attendees at a
wedding rehearsal in the building. A previous lightning strike on the
unprotected building damaged electronic equipment, including its his-
toric Welte-Tripp organ. A complete lightning protection system has now
been installed. Credit: Mr. Lightning
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SACRED PLACES • SUMMER 2019
bols are frequently the tallest structures in a neighborhood,
increasing their likelihood of being struck by lightning.
Occupancy: Buildings difficult to evacuate have increased
risk. This includes places of assembly such as sanctuaries and
community halls, plus daycare centers, schools, and shelters
found in many religious facilities. This risk takes on special
urgency in older buildings that might not meet current build-
ing codes for emergency egress.
Organs and Electronics: Power surges due to lightning can
damage or destroy instruments, A/V systems, computers,
security systems, building controls, and other essential
equipment.
Resilience: Many congregations seek to provide places of ref-
uge that must remain open in times of crisis. The very hurri-
canes, tornados, flood-producing storms, and even blizzards
that prompt a church to open its doors may also include light-
ning that puts the building at risk.