LEE TO DISTRIBUTE
PREPAREDNESS POTASSIUM IODIDE
Lee County will distribute potassium iodide (KI) tablets to residents
located within the 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) of the Harris Nuclear
Power Plant from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 11th, 2014.
The distribution is part of joint preparedness planning by Chatham, Harnett,
Lee, and Wake counties. People should not take KI unless they are
directed to do so. The doses are being distributed to replace those
doses residents may currently have on hand that recently expired.
Lee County will offer drive through distribution to people living
within the EPZ from 9 a.m. to
2 p.m. Saturday, October 11th, at the following locations:
- Cape Fear Rural Fire Department
5713
Buckhorn Road
Sanford,
NC 27330
- Deep River Rural Fire Department
5107
Deep River Road
Sanford,
NC 27330
KI is an over-the-counter medication that can protect the thyroid
gland if a person is exposed to radioactive iodine released during an emergency
at a nuclear power plant. If taken within the appropriate time and at the
appropriate dose, KI blocks the thyroid from absorbing radioactive iodine and
reduces the risk of thyroid cancer. Individuals who are allergic to iodine
should not take KI.
Children are more vulnerable to the effects of radioactive iodine than
adults and are more likely to develop thyroid cancer if they are exposed to
radioactive iodine. Parents should consult their health care provider if they
have any questions about their children taking KI.
The best health protection in a nuclear power plant emergency is to
evacuate the area in a safe and orderly way. Taking KI when instructed is an
additional safety measure. It is not a substitute for evacuation. KI is
provided to the State of North Carolina by the federal Nuclear Regulatory
Commission and distributed by counties to people living within the 10-mile EPZ
free of charge.
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