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San Antonio-area school districts rely on special technology during severe weather

While just rain won't stop a football game, school districts have to stay on alert when there is a threat of lightning strikes.

SAN ANTONIO - A little rain won’t stop some Friday night high school football, but lightning will stop a game immediately.

North East Independent School District and Northside ISD have almost the same, but different technologies that each of the districts use during sporting events.

North East ISD has a contract with Earth Networks, and at any time during a game, trainers and administrators will get an alert notification if there is a lightning strike within ten miles.

NEISD Executive Director of Athletics Karen Funk said the school district kept a close eye on the weather all day on Friday.

The sensors are located at the San Antonio International Airport. It alerts staff of the threat of lightning within a ten mile radius of the strike. However, what's so unique is that the school district doesn't just use this at its outdoor sporting venues.

"We found it to be extremely useful for our district. We gave it to each one of our campuses, both elementary, middle school and high schools. So, when they are out for P.E. and when they have events on their own campus they have a weather alert that is pertinent just for their area," Funk said.

If there is a lightning stike, the notification comes in, and a 30-minute clock will start, which means everyone is cleared from the field. 30 minutes is a delay set by UIL, which governors high school athletics. If there is another strike in those 30 minutes, then the clock resets.

Northside ISD uses a system at its stadium called Thor Guard. It detects lightning within a 12-mile radius.

Daryl Hemphill, with the athletic department, said when lightning gets closer to the stadium around 2-3 miles away, the siren will go off and the stadium is cleared.

He said once the siren gives the all-clear, the game will resume. He also said each campus has its own lightning detecting system.

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