@erik_squires First, I'm jealous of you living in South Carolina.
Second, I realize I don't have to deal with lightning and I don't know what I would do if I did. so I should temper my comments.
I use a PS Audio PP10. I'm not sure if that would provide lightning protection or not....it costs as much as many amps but so long as lightning didn't kill one more often than every few years I could afford to replace it.
Jerry