Westchester County (NY) Begins Distribution of Potassium Iodide (Indian Point)

WestchesterGov.com ^ | May 31, 2002 | Staff

[LurkedLongEnough]

KI will be made available to residents within the 10-mile radius of Indian Point on three days in June

Westchester County will begin distributing potassium iodide, known as KI, on Saturday, June 8 in the first of three days set aside to distribute the pills for use in a radiological emergency.

Residents who live within a 10-mile radius of the Indian Point nuclear power plant can receive one free pill per person at any one of the dates and locations listed below.

This free, public distribution is part of a comprehensive KI policy, which includes the distribution and stockpiling of KI so it will be available to the public as well as emergency personnel. Upon request, potassium iodide pills will also be distributed to schools within the 10-mile radius of Indian Point and a supply will be maintained at public locations should an emergency occur when people are not at home.

KI helps to protect the thyroid by blocking the intake of radiation, but it does not offer overall protection from radiation. It is also not meant as a substitute for taking shelter or evacuation.

Along with the pills, residents will be given a fact sheet on KI which contains recommended dosages and other information. Dates and locations of KI days are as follows:

· Saturday, June 8, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Lobby of Yorktown High School, 2727 Crompond Road, Yorktown Heights.

· Saturday, June 15, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Lobby of Ossining High School, 29 S. Highland Ave., Ossining.

· Saturday, June 29, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Lobby of Hendrick Hudson High School, 2 Albany Post Road, Montrose.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which allocated the pills, requires that they be distributed only within the 10-mile radius of Indian Point. KI, however, can be purchased by anyone at pharmacies throughout Westchester. The Westchester County Health Department has worked with pharmacies to make sure that a supply of KI is available. A list of participating pharmacies is attached.

[See article for listing.]

[LurkedLongEnough]

"Residents who live within a 10-mile radius of the Indian Point nuclear power plant can receive one free pill per person... "

How generous of the government, i.e., Hillary and Chuckie, who must have "pushed" this program through. And don't forget the computer system to keep track of who got a pill already, and who is unfairly trying to stock KI ("rich people"). </sarcasm>

[LurkedLongEnough]

ping

[Dog]

They telling us something??

[LurkedLongEnough]

ping

[bloggerjohn]

And remember kids, don't forget to Duck and Cover in the event of a nuclear blast ;')

Hard to duck from the radiation cloud, though.

That has to be one of the stupider government programs conceived.

[goodnesswins]

ONE PILL? I've read enough to know that you probably need 14 days worth, don't you? This seems ludicrous - why don't they just TELL the people to go out and get what they need, NOW?

[mvpel]

One pill per person? The minimum dosage listed on my bottles of 85mg tablets is 2 per day, with a minimum course of 30 days or longer if the incident lasts longer.

[donozark]

www.nukepills.com

[LurkedLongEnough]

Good site. Also http://www.ki4u.com/

I got a supply from there mail order in 2 days. Yes, people would be much better off getting their own instead of relying on the gubmint, which will be fried anyway if IP ever blew.

[LurkedLongEnough]

Handing out one pill is ridiculous. Handing out ammo would be much more popular at that point.

[LurkedLongEnough]

You need at least 14 days, if you live that long. What a sad, sorry myth the gubmint is selling to the sheeple when offering one little tiny pill "free". One pill is probably all they'll ever get to take, anyway, if they're in the blast wave. You can get a 30-day supply for about $12 fcs.

I do NOT like what I see when I type in "Buchanan, NY" (site of Indian Point) in the Nuclear Blast Mapper.

[StarFan]

Thanks for the ping Dog and the heads up where I can get ONE pill while the hildebeast & Co. stock up!

Shennytoes -- please spread the word that Brewster Pharmacy will be distributing K1.

[Senator Pardek]

Damn - according to the map, I missed the freebie by about 5 miles!

[Senator Pardek]

Interesting factoid - 6% of the nation's population live within 50 miles...

[Nita Nupress]

If you don't already have it, you need to get it. And get at least 2 weeks supply.

Some of the people on this thread are cynical about this, but that one little pill will give someone about 24 hours to evacuate without their thyroid absorbing the fallout.

[Senator Pardek]

Thanks, Nita. I know your field of expertise deals with the human anatomy (!), and since the only pharmacy in my little town carries it (it's on the list, and only 1500 ft. away), I shall endeavour to do so. Ya never know.

[angcat]

me too, i bought three bottles, i lost one in the land of pocketbook hell, but i have my other two with me, one for my husband and when my daughter starts school again in september i was thinking about packing some with her also with a note for teacher and instructions........am i nuts?????????????

[Senator Pardek]

Check out the map. You're a lot closer - why take chances?

[M. Thatcher]

Yep -- thanks for the ping.

[nanny]

I fairly close to a nuclear power plant that is minutes (by plane) from an Arab run flight school that has had new 'students' since 9/11. I feel so safe.