RADIATION PRESCRIPTION
Iodide pills for ‘nuclear incident’
About 500 households in the southern portion of Amherstburg and Boblo Island who live close to the Fermi II nuclear reactor in Michigan will be able to pick up potassium iodide pills starting Monday, May 7.
The pills block the thyroid from absorbing radioactive iodine which may be released during a nuclear incident and help prevent the development of cancer. The KI pills, as they are known, will be made available by the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit for pickup at the Libro Centre. Those eligible in the primary zone — which falls within 10 miles or 16.1 kilometres from Fermi — will receive a letter informing them they are the first to be eligible for the pills.
The letters initially will only be sent to residents who live within that distance from the nuclear generating station which is visible along the town’s waterfront, south of Boblo Island.
Health unit officials will assess how many households do not pick up their pills after being handed out at the Libro Centre, then determine if more dates are needed or whether home delivery is required.
Sometime in late spring or early summer the KI pills may be made available for others who live in the secondary zone — or within 80 km of Fermi which is essentially all of Essex County.
Ontario’s health ministry agreed to pay the $370,000 cost for the pills and distribution program. Town officials last year complained after Amherstburg had largely been left out of the Ontario government’s nuclear safety and emergency planning since Fermi II is located across the border. Mayor Aldo DiCarlo called the pills “an important first step” by the government to help better prepare the town in the event of a nuclear reactor incident. “This adds another level of comfort in our emergency preparedness,” he said. “This is one more step on how we get through any incident.” Amherstburg Fire Chief Bruce Montone will meet next Wednesday with officials from Fermi II, the government’s emergency management team, Michigan State police and other nuclear facilities in Ontario to further advance nuclear safety plans for the town.
The health unit will keep additional KI pills in storage for up to another 6,000 households. “(An incident) could happen at any time, so the best way to respond is to be prepared,” said Dr. Wajid Ahmed, acting medical officer of health.
Pill requirements are two for adults and one for children. They have few side effects — most likely upset stomachs — and are to be stored at room temperature. They remain good for 10 years.