FACILITIES

Arizona Field

Our Arizona Avenue Facility is equipped with an EarthNetworks Lightning detection and siren system. You will hear a 5 second horn that indicates lightning is within 10 miles and it is UNSAFE to play or be on the fields.  A countdown clock will begin and a white strobe light will flash as the system continues to monitor the storms. 

If you hear the siren, or arrive to the fields and see the white strobe light flashing, you MAY NOT enter the fields.  You can only return to the field after three horn blasts, and the white strobe light is no longer flashing.  This indicates no lightning has been detected within 10 miles for 30 minutes and it is safe to return to play.

Other Locations

At all other locations: If thunder/lightning strikes, even if it "sounds far away," all players, coaches, parents, and refs should evacuate the field immediately and stay off the field until 30 minutes has elapsed from the most recent thunder/lightning strike.

A safe structure at IAFC is defined as the inside of a school or building. Everyone who is not inside a building should be sent to their vehicle. A vehicle is considered safe if it is fully enclosed with a hard metal roof, rubber tires, and completely closed windows. Persons should not touch the sides of the vehicle! Convertibles or “soft-top” vehicles, and golf carts do not provide a high level of protection and cannot be considered safe from lightning.

Lightning Safety Rules

Keep an eye on the sky.  Look for darkening skies, flashes of lightning, or increasing wind, which may be signs of an approaching thunderstorm.

• Listen for the sound of thunder.  If you can hear thunder, go to a safe shelter immediately.
• Postpone activities immediately. Quickly go inside a completely enclosed building, not a carport, open garage or covered patio. If no enclosed building is convenient, get inside a hard-topped vehicle.
• Be the lowest point.  Lightning hits the tallest object. Crouch down if you are in an exposed area.
• Stay away from trees. 
• Avoid leaning against vehicles.
• Avoid metal! Drop metal backpacks, stay away from clothes lines, fences, exposed sheds and electrically conductive elevated objects

What if someone is struck by lightning?

1. Call for help. Call 9-1-1 or your local ambulance service.
2. Give first aid. If the victim has stopped breathing, begin rescue breathing. 
3. Give CPR. If the heart has stopped beating, a trained person should give CPR. 
4. Check for burns. Being struck by lightning can cause burns, nervous system damage, broken bones, and loss of hearing or eyesight. People struck by lightning carry no electrical charge, you can examine them without risk of getting shocked.

Inclement Weather

Our first priority in any weather-related decisions is our players’ safety. Our goal is always to play through any weather conditions; however, if weather forecasts, field & driving conditions jeopardize our players’ safety, we will cancel. The referees make the final decision on whether the conditions are safe or not for play at the game.

Inclement Weather Policy

Inter Atlanta FC reserves the right to cancel training sessions or games when our players’ safety is at risk. Reasons for cancellation include: freezing temperatures (wind chill below 32 degrees) severe weather warnings, tornado warnings, high wind warnings, high temperatures (above 92 degrees based on the wet bulb thermometer reading), and unsafe field conditions.

Inclement Weather Communication

Our goal is to communicate cancellations as soon as a decision is made, and we strive to make a decision by 4:00 pm during the week and 7:00 am on the weekend. This affects carpool schedules and long commutes so we will do our best to stick to this schedule.

We often wait until these times to make a decision in hopes conditions will improve and allow us to play. Most of our rented fields are governed by other entities (e.g., City of Atlanta and Atlanta Public Schools) who determine whether fields are open or closed and these entities often do not inform us of field decisions until after 3:30pm.