Posted on 12/02/2002 6:54:07 PM PST by all4one
U.S. Postal Service equipping workers with potassium iodide pills in event of radiological emergency.
WASHINGTON - The latest equipment for American postal workers: potassium iodide pills to protect against thyroid cancer in the event of a radiological emergency.
The U.S. Postal Service said Monday that it was purchasing nearly 1.6 million pills for distribution to workers.
"It's a proactive approach regarding the safety, health and well-being of employees nationwide," said Sue Brennan, Postal Service spokeswoman. She would not say how much they paid for the pills.
Potassium iodide is the only medication for internal radiation exposure. It has just one use to prevent thyroid cancer by shielding the thyroid from radioactive iodine.
Potassium iodide would be helpful only if a dirty bomb used radioactive iodine instead of other radioactive substances, and then only for people close to the explosion.
The tablets are being offered to all 750,000 postal workers nationwide. Two tablets will be given to any employee who wants to have the pills in case of an emergency.
"Employees are out there in all of these communities nationwide and we wanted to err on the side of caution," Brennan said.
In January, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced that it would provide free stockpiles of potassium iodide to 33 states that had residents living within a 10-mile (16-kilometer) radius of one of the nation's 102 nuclear reactors.
As with any medication, overdoses of potassium iodide can be dangerous. Some people may experience allergic reactions, including nausea or rashes.
Phone calls to the American Postal Workers Union and National Association of Letter Carriers were not immediately returned.
Watch for a 40 cent stamp next year.
I have wondered since last year, what happened to Civil Defense? If a terrorist disaster happens, are we prepared? besides having a tinfoil hat handy.
I did too...back when it looked like India and Pakistan were going to nuke ea other-and living here on the East Coast I figured I better invest in some too...
Thanks to FR I saw a link that led me to a supplier...I bought enough for my family & extended family/friends.
During the 4th of JULY I brought them to DC (I knew I was being paranoid, but just in case I wanted to be able to protect my family - thankfully didn't need it)
People laughed at me for getting them (cause I told them about it if they wanted to buy them too) Now it seems to becoming the norm to be prepared like this.
Translation: Another Islamic Terror Attack.
I hope we all don't go deaf listening to the 'outcry' of 'moderate muslims' again.
http://www.ki4u.com/products.htm
Do it tomorrow. What do you have to lose by being prepared?
(Whoa, that sounded like Y2k all over again. But get them anyway.)
How did you get that from what I said?
You could get burned or blown up if you are close, but radiation poisoning causes thyroid cancer. That is what the Chernobyl victims eventually died from.
Click the link I provided above, and browse that site for information about radiation. I am in no way an expert. I would just hate to be caught in an exposure situation knowing that I could have spent $20 bucks to save my life or that of my family.
These pills will be impossible to get as soon as one dirty bomb goes off anywhere in the world.
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