POTASSIUM IODIDE OVERVIEW

WHEN SHOULD I TAKE POTASSIUM IODIDE?

The FDA potassium iodide product insert says:

"Potassium iodide should be taken as soon as possible after public health officials tell you. You should take one dose every 24 hours."

Also, from the Health Physics Journal, Volume 78 No. 6, June 2000, "EFFECTS OF TIME OF ADMINISTRATION AND DIETARY IODINE LEVELS ON POTASSIUM IODIDE (KI) BLOCKADE OF THYROID IRRADIATION BY 131-I FROM RADIOACTIVE FALLOUT" Pat B. Zanzonico and David V. Becker (Read abstract by searching title at Health Physics Journal):

"KI administered up to 48 h before 131-I exposure can almost completely block thyroid uptake and therefore greatly reduce the thyroid absorbed dose. However, KI administration 96 h or more before 131-I exposure has no significant protective effect. In contrast, KI administration after exposure to radioiodine induces a smaller and rapidly decreasing blockade effect. KI administration 16 h or later after 131-I exposure will have little effect on thyroid uptake and absorbed dose and therefore little or no protective effect."

Regarding Nuclear Power Plant Radiation Emergencies:

You might also want to leave yourself the option to discover, learn, and be vigilant for other pending nuclear power plant emergency warning signs to act upon, even before public declarations. For instance, if you have a nuclear plant near you, you probably already know somebody (or at least they know somebody that knows somebody) that works there. Talk to them, ask them how they plan to have their own families get a quick and prompt 'heads-up' if something starts happening. You might even ask to get on their phone list of people to call, it certainly couldn't hurt to ask, and could be a life-saver! Potassium Iodide Radiation Protection FAQ & iodine pills sources.

Another opportunity to learn what others are doing locally to keep abreast of any future emergency situations developing at the plant is to seek out the local nuke 'concerned citizens' group. Regardless of their politics, and your affinity to them or not, they may be a great source of contacts, procedures and suggestions for monitoring and reporting on any potential future emergencies brewing inside the plant. (They may even have some simple Radio Shack™ scanner suggestions, like what the news reporters and crime watch folks use, for monitoring plant and local emergency communications yourself in an unfolding emergency.)

You may also have friends (or they may have friends) who are in law enforcement, local emergency/disaster coordinator's office, or other government or emergency services who would be on early call-up lists for any potential problems at the local nuclear plant. Seek them out, too. You may even find a volunteer branch for some of these public safety functions that you could participate in and thus be even closer to the inner circle getting a heads-up to pending news announcements before the general public.

If, by cultivating a network of 'early warning' contacts, you do get indications of a pending announcement of a nuclear emergency being publicly declared soon, then you'll be in the enviable position to immediately launch your families nuclear emergency response plan. Whether you then commence Potassium Iodide treatments for your family, before official public declarations to do so or not, at least you will have earned for them and yourself the opportunity to choose.

You need to be aware, though, that just because there is an 'alert', 'unusual event', 'site area emergency', or even 'general emergency' at a nuclear power plant does not automatically mean that radioactive iodine will be released. You've got to strike the right balance of being alert, informed, and prepared to act.

For individuals not already cautioned not to use Potassium Iodide (KI) (such as those known to be allergic to Iodine, having a medical condition that forbids it, or currently taking another medication(s) that would adversely react with it) the downside of beginning Potassium Iodide (KI) treatment, when later revealed not to have been needed, is statistically minimal. (However, you should always consult your personal physician, well ahead of any potential need for it, to assure that you and your children are unlikely to encounter any problems using it. That's just a part of being truly prepared!) You'll have to balance your final decisions against the potentially deadly downside of not having started early enough to have saturated your thyroid, and your childrens thyroids, with stable iodine to then avoid later uptake of a possible plume of radioactive iodine being carried in on the winds.

There are numerous incidents of nuclear power plant emergency releases of radioiodine that did not also have the public being immediately and effectively notified. You need to do what you can to network yourself into the nuclear plant emergency information loop, closer to the action, to be better assured of a prompt and informed notification.

This author was recently challenged by an employee of the NRC (speaking unofficially) suggesting it was 'somewhat irresponsible' to be recommending above here that people should be encouraged to try to attain information outside and beyond solely relying on the public warning systems and public notification procedures already in place. (Especially, didn't like the suggestion of utilizing scanners, where people might could then be listening in on "...transmissions between workers at power plants and then drawn their own conclusions from these discussions.")

Specifically because, this person stated:

"...at each nuclear power plant, there is an emergency notification siren system to alert citizens to a general emergency condition at a nuclear power plant. local officials will be notified and will notify citizens."

This author responded:

"If I could be convinced, that at the onset of a nuclear power plant emergency, that no employee there with family downwind, would ever think to call home, but would instead rely on the sequence of public notifications above to unfold and alert their loved ones to evacuate, then I could delete that whole section."

And, of course, for nuclear terrorism here at home we need to employ all of the above relationship building with local police/fire/rescue authorities, second-tier contacts and communication tie-ins as we would for monitoring a nuclear power plants status. Anything that gets you news before it's public news could eventually prove to be lifesaving for your family.

Got a great insider tip or suggestion for early warning of a nuclear plant impending radiation emergency declaration? Write: webmaster@ki4u.com and we'll credit you with it here, or not. Your choice, but please do share it!

Regarding Nuclear Explosions Radiation Emergencies:

There is a wealth of early warning nuclear explosion information here on this site at Nuclear War Survival Skills Ch. 2: Warnings and Communications. It covers both strategic and tactical warnings and the effectiveness of in-place public warning systems. Beyond the obvious, it also details recognizable nuclear bomb effects, like bright lights, noise, and wide-spread electrical and communication failures that can alert you to the commencement of hostilities, even well away from your location, too. Potassium Iodide Radiation Protection FAQ & iodine pills sources.

Additionally, you should even try to cultivate contacts within the military similar to those you would establish above for early warnings of nuclear power plant emergencies. Once you start inquiring you might be pleasantly surprised to discover who knows who that knows somebody that might help you recognize a 'heads-up' coming or an heightened level of military alert.

And, of course, any close following of world-wide political and current events can reveal increased nuclear saber-rattling with a corresponding increased potential to break out into a nuclear exchange. You need to go beyond just the national media here in America and also explore the international overseas generated news sources. The BBC and some of the translated World News on satellite TV can give you unfiltered insights into what the governments in the Middle East, or China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, etc. are telling their people is important to focus on. It's often insightful 'news' and glimpses of emerging trends that their peoples are being prepped for. It's also routinely overlooked and either delayed or 'missed' altogether by the general U.S. press.

Also, shortwave listening to worldband broadcasting and discerning use of the internet can connect you with important stories hours, days, and sometimes, even months, before the mainstream press 'discovers' and reports on it. And, often, even when they eventually do report on it, it is a brief overview that doesn't give it the treatment deserved nor adequately reveals the implications of that event or news item. This is especially true in the cases where foreign countries are increasingly belligerent to each other and no US concern or future involvement is readily obvious to report on.

We need to remember, too, that even nuclear war engaged in far from America, with the prevailing west-to-east trade winds, can carry the resultant radioactive fallout to our shores, too. (See Trans-Pacific Fallout.)

Bottom Line: While there may be much to be done in a developing nuclear emergency; evacuation or sheltering, you will also have the choice to commence your families Potassium Iodide protective treatments, early, when they can do the most good, if you've been vigilant and observant of the potential around you for future nuclear threats, both here and abroad.