HOW TO PROTECT YOUR FAMILY FROM TERRORISTS AND NUCLEAR ATTACK (Last updated 12/20/03)

No. of Concerned Citizens Who Visited Here:  

TERRORISM:

1. Keep a 3-day emergency kit updated and easily accessible: Include food, water, clothing, blankets, rope, camp cooking kit, matches, first-aid kit (with iodine for nuclear attacks or water purification), cash, tools, battery-powered radio, prescriptions, diapers, formula, and essential personal documents such as disaster insurance info, family phone numbers, birth certificates, marriage certificates, licenses, life insurance info, Social Security info, will, etc.  Keep a smaller kit in your car. Make sure you have enough for each family member.  Store it in a duffle bag or large plastic container. (Some people use plastic trash cans, clearly labeled.)

2.  During high terror alerts stay away from areas where there will be large crowds: Sports stadiums, parks, malls, theatres, theme parks, etc.

3. Create an emergency communications plan.
Choose an out-of-town contact your family or household will call or e-mail to check on each other should a disaster occur. Your selected contact should live far enough away that they would be unlikely to be directly affected by the same event, and they should know they are the chosen contact. Make sure every household member has that contact's, and each other's, e-mail addresses and telephone numbers (home, work, pager and cell). Leave these contact numbers at your children's schools, if you have children, and at your workplace. Your family should know that if telephones are not working, they need to be patient and try again later or try e-mail. Many people flood the telephone lines when emergencies happen but e-mail can sometimes get through when calls don't.

4. Establish a meeting place.
Having a predetermined meeting place away from your home will save time and minimize confusion should your home be affected or the area evacuated. You may even want to make arrangements to stay with a family member or friend in case of an emergency. Be sure to include any pets in these plans, since pets are not permitted in shelters and some hotels will not accept them.

5. Check on the school emergency plan of any school-age children you may have.
You need to know if they will they keep children at school until a parent or designated adult can pick them up or send them home on their own. Be sure that the school has updated information about how to reach parents and responsible caregivers to arrange for pickup. And, ask what type of authorization the school may require to release a child to someone you designate, if you are not able to pick up your child. During times of emergency the school telephones may be overwhelmed with calls.

If Disaster Strikes

• Remain calm and be patient.
• Follow the advice of local emergency officials.
• Listen to your radio or television for news and instructions.
• If the disaster occurs near you, check for injuries. Give first aid and get help for seriously injured people.
• If the disaster occurs near your home while you are there, check for damage using a flashlight. Do not light matches or candles or turn on electrical switches. Check for fires, fire hazards and other household hazards. Sniff for gas leaks, starting at the water heater. If you smell gas or suspect a leak, turn off the main gas valve, open windows, and get everyone outside quickly.
• Shut off any other damaged utilities.
• Confine or secure your pets.
• Call your family contact—do not use the telephone again unless it is a life-threatening emergency.
• Check on your neighbors, especially those who are elderly or disabled.

NUCLEAR ATTACK

1. Iodine: Keep a bottle of iodine or iodine tablets in your emergency kit. Why? Iodine protects the thyroid from radiation in case of nuclear attack. There is some evidence that it can can also prevent breast and uterine cancer. It can also be used to purify water.  Dosage: It is safe for infants and children at the proper dosage (16 mg for infants, 32 mg for children, 50 to 70 for adults). Potassium iodate (K1O3) or potassium iodide (K1) are both okay.  The difference is that you need slightly more of K103 than K1. If you are using liquid iodine (2 percent) use 5 drops per quart of water or 10 drops per quart for cloudy or dirty water).

2. Dosage and explanation follows:

What is the daily dosage required?

Current FDA guidelines call for the daily administration of 130 mg. of potassium iodide (KI)) for up to 14 days for adults and children over 60 pounds. Smaller children should take one half tablet for 14 days.

Recent findings and the experience at Chernobyl (where 18 million children were given KI) suggest KI is even more effective than previously realized, and that thyroid blocking can take place at smaller doses. As a result, FDA is considering reducing the amount of the dosage, and is studying dose levels as small as 16 mg. for infants and 32 mgs. for small children for shorter periods. Currently, however, package instructions should be followed in the event of a large release of radioactive iodine from a power plant accident or a nuclear weapon.

How long is the shelf life of potassium iodide?

Potassium Iodide is inherently stable. If kept dry in an unopened container at room temperature, it can be expected to last indefinitely.

Potassium Iodide works by "saturating" the thyroid with stable iodide so it will not absorb radioactive iodine that might be released in an accident. Under current dosing guidelines, a fully saturated thyroid would be protected for up to one month, which is long enough for radioactive iodine (which has a half life of 8 days) to disappear from the environment.

What is the US Government position on providing KI to workers and the public in the event of another nuclear emergency?

The U S Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) does not dispute the safety or effectiveness of KI. In fact, they require nuclear power plants to stockpile it to protect plant workers, and FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) plans call for KI to protect those individuals who would be unable to be evacuated in a nuclear accident especially those under the care of the government (such as prisoners or patients in government hospitals).

But the NRC is resisting the calls for a national stockpile of KI, claiming it is "unnecessary." As a result, the US remains the only major nuclear power that does not have a supply to protect its citizens. Recently, to counter the widespread criticism of this policy, the government announced it had established a "national stockpile" of KI. This news was welcomed by many in the scientific community. However, at a recent meeting, the NRC admitted that its operational "national stockpile" consisted of only 2500 tablets, not even enough for 200 people.

As a reaction to criticism by US medical groups and the World Health Organization, the NRC has announced it would make KI available (free of charge) to state or local governments desiring it. Again, this news was greeted with enthusiasm. However, following this announcement, the NRC "clarified" its position, and now says it will provide KI only to those people living in communities within the 10 mile "EPZ" (Emergency Planning Zone) surrounding nuclear plants. Given that most casualties in a nuclear accident would take place more than 50 miles from the plant (following Chernobyl, thousands of cases of childhood thyroid cancer developed hundreds of miles away), the current NRC position is probably of questionable value.


SOURCES FOR POTASSIUM IODIDE - KI

Anbex, Inc - 130 mg. per tablet, 14 tablets per package; 1 - 10 Packages $10.00/Package; Shipping and Handling $4.00 Per Order

COSMOS Online* Trade Center - 16 suppliers in Mexico

KI4U.com - see site for various pricing

Lab Depot - Potassium Iodide, Granular, Reagent, ACS $84.60

Outdoor Depot - One bottle contains a 2-week supply for one person. $49.95



SOURCES FOR POTASSIUM IODATE - KIO₃

B&A Products - bottle of 100 tablets of 150mg is $18.00, Two bottles is 33.00, Three bottles is 48.00, Four bottles is 64.00

KI4U.com - see site for various pricing

Medical Corps - 100 150mg tablets per bottle: $16.95 a bottle, $29.95 for 2 bottles, postage paid

Outdoor Depot $19.95 100 fresh tablets of Potassium Iodate 150mg tablets
 

I contacted at least 12 different companies and agencies regarding the difference in using Potassium Iodide and Potassium Iodate. The most unbiased answer came from Marcia Carpenter, Radiological Emergency Response Team U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Marcia writes:
 

"In response to your question about potassium iodate versus iodide, here are the basics:

Potassium Iodate (KIO₃) and Potassium Iodide (KI) are not the same.

KIO3 - molecular weight 214.00 is 18.27 % K, 22.43 % O and 59.30 % I, so you would have to
administer 168.63 milligrams of KIO₃ to deliver 100 milligrams of iodine.

KI - molecular weight 166.01 is 23.55 % K and 76.45 % I, so you would have to administer 130.81
milligrams of KI to deliver 100 milligrams of iodine.

Both compounds are soluble in water, but KI is very soluble. KI is much less stable than KIO₃. When
KI breaks down, it becomes yellow due to release of iodine and it may produce small amounts of
iodate. When iodate breaks down, it also produces a yellow color from iodine. Both compounds should
be protected from light and moisture to improve stability.

As to which is preferred for use in the event of nuclear accidents, I can refer you to the following quote
and its associated reference. The quote is from a World Health Organization (WHO) and International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) working document entitled "Guidelines for Stable Iodine Prophylaxis
Following Nuclear Accidents," dated 10/19/98.

And I quote...
 

"Stable iodine can be used as either potassium iodide or potassium iodate. Potassium iodide (KI) is the preferred alternative, since potassium iodate (KIO₃) has the disadvantage of being a stronger intestinal irritant."

 

Since this document is still in draft, you might want to go to the original work they cite. It is:

Rubery ED. Practical aspects of prophylactic stable iodine usage. In: Iodine Prophylaxis Following Nuclear Accidents -- Proceedings of a Joint WHO/CEC Workshop, July 1988. Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1990. pp 141-150.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is currently doing a reassessment of various recommendations on this issue, but their work is not yet published."

 

B&A Products website states:

"Potassium Iodate is a superior form of Potassium Iodide (KI) because of extended shelf life and lack of bitter taste. The extra molecule of oxygen in Potassium Iodate (KIO₃), can guarantee the Iodate's continued freshness without adding stabilizers."

 

Additional research, information and sources

 

KI4U - Excellent in-depth FAQ
 

Conclusion - either Potassium Iodate (KIO₃) or Potassium Iodide (KI) is fine.

 

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