KI pills are not particularly useful during most radiation events. They only protect against uptake of radioactive iodines, and won't protect you from any external exposure even to that.

Ensure that you don't have an iodine allergy before taking these, or you could do yourself a lot more harm than good.

If it is recommended that stable iodine be taken, you can use Betadine, water purifying tabs, iodized salt or any other source of stable iodine and have the same protective effect.

Greg