All South finishes lightning protection systems at nine Florida schools before classes start

All South Lightning Protection completed systems at nine Florida school campuses across five counties this summer, finishing before the first day of class as peak thunderstorm season begins. The projects highlight how Florida schools face higher lightning exposure and tighter construction deadlines than campuses in most other states.

Why it matters: - Florida leads the nation in cloud-to-ground lightning, and school year openings often overlap with peak storm season. - The completed systems are designed to help protect students, staff and families on campuses that include open-air walkways and outdoor movement between buildings. - The work had to be finished before students returned, leaving no room to slip the schedule.

What happened: - All South Lightning Protection completed lightning protection systems at nine Florida school campuses this summer. - The projects were finished before the first day of class. - The campuses are spread across five counties, from Homosassa on the Nature Coast to Port Charlotte. - The completed schools are Rye Ranch Elementary School in Parrish, Artisan Lakes Elementary School in Palmetto, B.D. Gullett Elementary School in Bradenton and Gilbert W. McNeal Elementary School in Lakewood Ranch, all in Manatee County. - The list also includes Homosassa Elementary School and Crystal River Primary School in Citrus County, Carwise Middle School in Palm Harbor in Pinellas County, West Zephyrhills Elementary School in Zephyrhills in Pasco County and Charlotte Technical College in Port Charlotte in Charlotte County. - All South also is providing lightning protection for Rangeland High School in Lakewood Ranch, the School District of Manatee County’s new $144 million campus scheduled to open in 2027.

The details: - The systems were installed to NFPA 780 and UL 96A, the national standards for commercial lightning protection in the United States. - The systems are engineered to intercept a strike and carry its energy safely into the ground, away from the structure and the people inside it. - The work required coordination with general contractors, roofers, electricians, inspectors and district facilities staff. - School construction schedules left no flexibility because the systems had to be installed, inspected and finished around a fixed opening date. - Many Florida schools use multiple classroom buildings connected by covered walkways and open-air corridors, which increases exposure as students move between classes. - Families attending football games, graduations and other evening events also spend time outdoors on school campuses. - All South also handled work this summer at hospitals, high-rise buildings, residential communities, warehouses, industrial sites and other commercial construction projects across Florida. - All South operates three Florida offices in Tampa, Sunrise and Jacksonville and serves clients statewide. - The company specializes in the design, installation, inspection, testing, certification and maintenance of lightning protection and surge suppression systems for educational, healthcare, commercial, industrial, government and residential properties.

Between the lines: - The school work shows how lightning protection becomes a time-sensitive infrastructure issue in Florida, where summer storms and back-to-school timing collide. - The project mix suggests All South is balancing short-deadline public work with a broader year-round commercial portfolio. - Ron Poirier, president of All South Lightning Protection, framed the school projects as a responsibility tied to student safety and said the behind-the-scenes work should go unnoticed when systems are doing their job.

What's next: - All South will continue serving schools and other facilities across Florida while preparing for future campus projects. - Rangeland High School remains in the pipeline for a 2027 opening. - Florida schools will continue facing the same seasonal challenge as storm activity rises when classes begin.

The bottom line: - In Florida, school safety infrastructure has to be finished before the academic year starts, not after construction is convenient.