nuclear-news

Over 60,000 homes near Illinois nuclear plants to get Potassium Iodide pills

IEMA Offering Potassium Iodide to Residents within 10 Miles of Nuclear Power Plants SPRINGFIELD (WIFR) 27 Nov 12-– The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) today announced plans to begin offering free Potassium Iodide (KI) pills to residents living within a 10-mile radius of the state’s six operating nuclear power plants. More than 60,000 homes
within the Emergency Planning Zones (EPZs) of each plant soon will
receive a voucher that can be redeemed for the pills at participating
Walgreens stores.

KI is a non-prescription drug used to protect the thyroid from
radioactive iodine, which could be released during a nuclear power
plant accident. Residents should receive the vouchers in the mail by
mid-December.

This is the second time the state of Illinois has distributed KI pills
to residents near nuclear power plants. In 2002, the Illinois
Department of Nuclear Safety (IDNS) offered KI pills to people living
within the EPZs. IDNS merged with IEMA in 2003.

“Many people have moved into the Emergency Planning Zones around the
nuclear plants since we last provided KI to the residents,” said IEMA
Director Jonathon Monken. “Others may have added family members or
lost their pills. That’s why we felt it was time to make the pills
available once again.”….
http://www.wifr.com/home/headlines/IEMA-Offering-Potassium-Iodide-to-Residents-within-10-Miles-of-Nuclear-Power-Plants–181020381.html

November 28, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | health, USA