U.S. Postal Service - Equipping Workers with Potassium Iodide

Associated Press ^ | 12/02/02 | SIOBHAN McDONOUGH

[Wonder Warthog]

"A small envelope stained with a drop or so of a solution containg radioisotopic iodine, chromium, cesium, etc., etc. could wreak havoc whether or not significant levels of radiation were involved......"

Not with anyone who knows diddly about radiation dosage, radiation effects, and health physics. Do you suppose that the conveyor lines in post office sorting areas aren't already equipped with radiation detectors. AT MOST, an envelope with your "drop of radioactive solution" MIGHT give some dose to the guy who picks it up out of the mailbox and carries it back to the post office, but I would suspect that any such exposure would not exceed current limits for "allowed occupational exposure".

[tracer]

You apparently did not comprehend the phrase "whether or not significant levels of radiation were involved" in the sentence of mine that you copied. And, no, USPS does not currently employ radiation dection devices in most of its facilities.

[Wonder Warthog]

"You apparently did not comprehend the phrase "whether or not significant levels of radiation were involved" in the sentence of mine that you copied. "

Yup, sure did. That is why I said not with anyone who had a brain cell about radiation. I wasn't talking about the ignorant sheep who have bought all the "scare stories" put out by the anti-nuke nuts for the last fifty years.

"And, no, USPS does not currently employ radiation dection devices in most of its facilities."

If they DON'T have Geiger tubes on their conveyor lines at the automated sorting facilities, then the management of the USPS are fools. Geiger tubes are simple, cheap, and rugged. Of course, those sorting facilities don't comprise "most of its facilities"--those are comprised of podunk post offices out in the boonies, and really don't NEED radiation detection. However, since the automated facilities "see" virtually all the mail, that is where the detection capabilities should be installed.

[George from New England]

Has anyone found a source at all for Atropine?

[exhaustedmomma]

I am allergic to iodine (can't eat shellfish). What does someone like me do?

I did a google search on potassium iodide substitute allergic to iodide, and this link had good info: http://www.healthyvermonters.info/hp/yankee/kifaqs.shtml#four

Also, here is a link defining the seriousness of anaphylactic shock: http://www.hon.ch/Library/Theme/Allergy/Glossary/shock.html

[tracer]

Sounds like we're agreement after all (FWIW)... 8~)

[Woodman]

I have wanted to purchase these for my family, but I have a problem with the Wife (Iodine allergies) and maybe my 8 year old as well. I would love any Doctors on the forum to answer this question, and wanted to know if Benedryl (sp) would counter the throat swelling and such?

[vannrox]

.


The fear is the use of the US Mail to transport loose radioactive material. Must of been some indication of the possibility of this....not good news.


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[all4one]

I had the same thought. Especially after someone had the ability to send anthrax through the mail last year. But I have a naive confidence that somehow it could/would be detected prior to a disaster. Let's hope.

[templar]

Has anyone found a source at all for Atropine?

No. I'm assuming you mean the auto injector for nerve agents. I think they would be controlled (which means unorthodox procurement methods would apply).

I doubt that they would be of use since the injection must occur in the first 30 to 60 seconds to work. It's unlikely that any civilian situation would provide the opportunity to realize that an attack had occured (by observing symptoms in yourself or others), find the injectors, and administer them before losing the ability to do so. This seems like pretty much military and emergency response team stuff to be of any real value.

[Terriergal]

Yeah ya gotta wonder.

[Terriergal]

From where?

[templar]

Do you suppose that the conveyor lines in post office sorting areas aren't already equipped with radiation detectors.

Man, I sure hope so. Can you immagine the next nuclear attack being delivered by the USPS instead of a missle? Total bummer.

[Semper911]

From where?

I am assuming you are asking where to buy them. (I also am assuming you didn't read the rest of the thread)

I bought mine here:
http://www.ki4u.com/products.htm

They also have quite a lot of information about radiation there.

[Kozak]

Remember that under FEMA disaster planning the post office is supposed to resume mail delivery 72 hours after a Nuclear War....

[Atlas Sneezed]

I just placed an order. When the USPS has it on hand, I figure I had better as well. Thanks for the link.

[LadyDoc]

If it was a life or death problem, I'd premedicate with prednisone and then benadryl. That's how we do it if we need to do an X Ray with an Iodine based contrast media. (nowadays, usually MRI or other stuff can be done).

However, the Iodide here protects against Thyroid cancer. Not everyone gets thyroid cancer from radiation.

If she might die from Iodine, the chance of dying immediately from the iodine is much higher than the chance of getting thyroid cancer years later and dying, especially if she is over 50. If she just gets a rash, and she is young, (i.e under 50, so that if she got cancer she would be young enough for the cancer to shorten life significantly), she might try the Prednisone etc.

Personally, I wouldn't take the iodine if I had this history, since thyroid cancer is treatable, and the risk is not that high.

[PennsylvaniaMom]

From one mom to another...THANKS for the link. I will be reading it with great interest. temp and NN thanks for your input too...this is really scary stuff.

[Lion's Cub]

fyi. This doesn't make much sense to me. Why single out postal workers from other government workers? Even if there were a specific threat, you don't take the tablets until the emergency occurs. Why stock them for everyone but only distribute to postal workers?