Guidelines for Field Closures
For Field Rentals: Always be sure to check the telephone hotlines:
Baseball/Softball 630-540-4891
Soccer 630-540-4892
or the web http://www.teamsideline.com/bartlettparkdistrict regularly for weather and field
condition updates.
Guidelines for Game or Practice cancellations:
1. A footstep leaves an impression in the turf or if the grass is removed easily with a
cleat; this is considered a wet field
2. Standing puddles of water on the field
3. Footing is unsure and slippery
4. Ground is water-logged and squishy
5. Grass can be dislodged from the ground easily
6. Unsafe facility conditions-glass, exposed stones and rocks, etc.
7. The use proves to be destructive or detrimental to quality of turf
8. Frozen field
9. Lightning
10. Periods of forecasted severe weather warning
Thank you for your cooperation.
Bartlett Park District is an organization where Character Counts!
Bartlett Community Center 700 S. Bartlett Road Bartlett, IL 60103
(630) 540-4800 Fax (630) 540-4869 www.bartlettparks.org
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Severe Weather &Thor Guard Lightning Prediction System
PURPOSE: Lightning is an act of nature that kills approximately 10 people in Illinois each
year, and approximately 85 people annually throughout the United States. To decrease the
possibility for such events, the following procedures have been established.
II. THOR-GUARD SYSTEM. The Bartlett Park District has installed and will maintain a
Lightning Prediction System (Thor-Guard). The system consists of sensors that measure
electrostatic charges at ground level and in the atmosphere. These electrostatic charges, invisible
to the naked eye, build prior to lightning occurrences.
When conditions indicate that a lightning occurrence is probable, a signal is sent to two alarm horns
and strobe lights, located at the Apple Orchard Golf Course Clubhouse, the Bartlett Aquatic Center
and Koehler Fields. Included within the system’s range will be Apple Orchard Community Park --
both east and west sides. The system will be operational from late March to mid-November,
seven days per week, from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
The best way to manage lightning and related severe weather conditions is to be aware in advance of
changing weather conditions, coupled with sound judgment and prompt implementation of lighting
procedures.
A. WARNING SIGNAL: A warning signal (one long 15 second horn blast) will sound
and strobe lights will activate when a potentially dangerous weather situation is
approaching. The strobe lights are mounted on the top of the Aquatic Center and Golf
Course Clubhouse. If a park user arrives and they see that the strobe lights are activated, a
potentially dangerous weather situation exists and they should take appropriate precautions.
B. ALL-CLEAR SIGNAL: The all-clear signal (3 short horn blasts, 2 seconds apart)
will sound, and the strobe lights will deactivate. After the “all clear” signal sounds and the
strobe lights deactivate, park patrons may resume their activities.
C. CAUTION: The Thor-Guard System is designed to help assess conditions.
Neither the signal nor the system is intended to guarantee that conditions are safe. If the weather is
threatening and no warning signal is heard or seen, park patrons should use good judgment and clear
the fields, golf course, playground, etc. Park users should not wait for the warning signal to activate,
as the system can malfunction.
PARK PATRONS NOT OBEYING THE WARNING SIGNAL AND/OR STROBE LIGHTS DO
SO AT THEIR OWN RISK. SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH MAY RESULT.
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Severe Weather &Thor Guard Lightning Prediction System
III. PROCEDURES WHEN THE THOR-GUARD SYSTEM SOUNDS:
The following procedures are to be followed when potentially dangerous weather exists:
APPLE ORCHARD COMMUNITY PARK & KOEHLER FIELDS:
1. If the Thor-Guard warning signal sounds, all activities in the park will end immediately and
patrons must leave the park.
2. It is recommended that park patrons seek shelter in their cars, under lighting- safe shelters
within the park, or in a building. Patrons should avoid areas that are higher than the
surrounding landscape, they should not use a tree for shelter, and they should keep away
from metal objects such as bicycles, umbrellas, chain-link fences, metal bats, golf clubs, etc.
They should also get away from the pond and/or pooling water.
3. All park patrons must wait until the Lightning Prediction System performs an “all clear”
signal before commencing activities in the park.
Lightning is seen, but Thor Guard has NOT sounded:
If lightning is spotted even if the Thor Guard Lightning Prediction System has not sounded all
activities will cease immediately and fields will be cleared, regardless of how far away you
might consider the lightning to be. In this case, the rule is: wait 20 minutes to see if the
conditions improve. There must be a 20 minute period free of lighting before play can resume.
Example: Lighting strikes, the clock starts, 15 minutes later lighting strikes again then the clock
is reset and you wait another 20 minutes, and so on, before play can resume.
Fields without Thor Guard:
For those fields that do not have Thor Guard we are relying on coaches/parents/staff to be aware
of conditions and cease play immediately when lightning is spotted. Again, in this case, the rule
is: wait 20 minutes to see if the conditions improve. There must be a 20 minute period free of
lighting before play can resume. Example: Lighting strikes, the clock starts, 15 minutes later
lighting strikes again then the clock is reset and you wait another 20 minutes, and so on, before
play can resume.
