Official explains removal of facility's lightning rod

Disconnecting part of the Richmond County Law Enforcement Center's lightning protection during renovations is necessary to complete repairs to the roof, officials say.

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Rick Acree, the head of Augusta Facilities Management, said disconnecting the system was necessary because repairs to the roof, and to external finishing and the flashing that protects the junction between them, must be sequenced.

Replacing flashing involves installing lightning rods that form part of the protection system that discharges surges to the ground, he said.

Work seemingly had stalled on the roof as contractors removed equipment from the back of the building for a few weeks, but Mr. Acree said work has been ongoing.

He said that though officials are not certain, the repairs might be completed within two to three months.

Richmond County Sheriff Ronnie Strength noted that contractors' trailers had returned to the Walton Way facility Wednesday, and it appeared workers soon would be resuming the renovations.

Officials at the sheriff's office had feared that if lightning struck the building, no matter how unlikely that situation would be, the power surge would fry the office's electronic equipment - including radios, cameras, computers and the electronic locking mechanisms used in the jail.

Sheriff Strength said that although he's still concerned about the status of the lightning protection, he is confident the matter will be rectified.

Though lightning can strike anywhere, Mr. Acree said the odds are in the building's favor.

The administrative and court offices wing of the building - which is the portion that is being re-roofed and is two stories tall - is dwarfed by the six-story jail tower.

Lightning tends to strike the tallest object in an area, though not always.

Lightning rods aren't a cure-all for the possibility of bolts striking a building, either, Mr. Acree said. He said they just minimize any damage that may be caused.

Reach Jeremy Craig at (706) 823-3409 or jeremy.craig@augustachronicle.com.

--From the Thursday, July 29, 2004 printed edition of the Augusta Chronicle