If you live near a nuclear powerplant, I would recommend you lay in a supply of iodine tablets, available from The American Civil Defense Association in Florida, or SSKI, available from any pharmacy which is a super-saturated solution of potassium iodide.<br>As mentioned, the iodine is taken up by the thyroid gland, saturating the thyroid and preventing the uptake of radioactive isotopes of iodine that are released in nuclear accidents and warhead detonations.<br>The stuff is cheap, the protection priceless.

Casul1y,<br><br>So - what are your interests with regard to being "Equipped to Survive"? Travel, city life, rural life, wilderness experiences...? There are some pretty sharp folks here from many locations around the world who would enjoy conversing with you about survival questions.<br><br>Regards,<br><br>Tom

I think this discussion is headed in the right direction. We have too long ignored a potential risk for catastrophic loss because talking about it was not politically correct or a little unpleasant. Death is not pleasant to consider either but that does not stop us from estate planning or religiously preparing for an afterlife. This forum has been characteristically civil and reasonable. There is no reason we should act otherwise in discussing this topic. This forum is devoted to being prepared, trained, & equipped to survive risks of disaster. So let's do it here too.<br><br>I have read the rules of the forum. I don't see any conflict. If it's a problem, I'm sure we'll hear from Doug or Chris.<br><br>Zoltan, Blkjeep, & Beachdoc, thank you very much for the recommendations. And Tom, thanks for the start. Finally, as to our new young member Casual1y, I'm reserving judgment since he did identify the problem & catalyze the discussion, even if he did also say other things that were offensive & flat wrong.<br><br>John<br><br>P.S. By the way, I have prophylactically donned my thermonuclear flame-proof suit before entering this fray.<br><br>

Good advice from Beachdoc. We're five miles from a major seaport, and close enough to a nuclear facility to make us concerned in these times. I purchased Potassium Iodide tablets from Anbex online (I'm not on the payroll). Got enough for the family for less than forty dollars. I always say - a false sense of security is better than none at all.

Jeffery,<br>I'd be most appreciative if you could tell us a bit about Potassium Iodine vs. Potassium Iodate; their effectiveness, safety, dosages, etc. Anbex says a 14 day dosage of Potassium Iodine is sufficient for a month, but Medical Corps 2002 says to take one or two pills per day of its Potassium Iodate for a month. This info is all potentially biased through profit motive, and I'd like to hear an objective opinion. Does it matter if it's iodine or iodate?<br>Thanks.

The best information that I have found is from the American Civil Defense Association website (www.tacda.org). Here is an exerpt:<br><br>It appears that the "correct" form of iodine is potassium iodide. The iodine tablets in your PSK are NOT suitable, as there is not the correct amount of iodine, nor is it the correct form.<br><br>Hope this helps. Their reference to "RadBlock" is their proprietary product. It is not expensive. There has been enthusiasm in North Carolina to stockpile and/or distribute KI to people living within a certain radius of the state's nuclear power plants. Seems like sound preventive medicine to me. I have mine!<br><br><br>Certain forms of iodine help your thyroid gland work properly. Most people get the iodine they need from foods like iodized salt or fish. The thyroid can “store” or hold only a certain amount of iodine. In a radiation emergency, radioactive iodine may be released in the air. This material may be breathed or swallowed or ingested with food and drinks. It may enter the thyroid gland and damage it. The damage would probably not show itself for years. Children are most likely to have thyroid damage. If you take Potassium Iodide, it will fill up your thyroid gland and block the uptake of dangerous radioactive iodine. This greatly reduces the chance that harmful radioactive iodine will enter the thyroid gland. <br>RAD BLOCK™ Tablets are packaged in bottles of 200 tablets. Each yellow/white, round, scored tablet contains 65 MG potassium iodide (that yields 50 MG of ingestible iodine). The slightly yellow surface is caused by a “clear” coating to prevent any bitter taste. <br>In the aftermath of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster, many children most likely developed thyroid cancer or thyroid abnormalities because they did not receive the protection afforded by radiation blocking pills, such as RAD BLOCK ™, prior to exposure to even small amounts of nuclear fallout. The World Health Organization said this of the Chernobyl disaster: <br><br>"The result, less than fifteen years after the accident, is more than 1000 cases of thyroid cancer, most probably solely attributable to this single release of radioactivity to the environment … In the most affected area in Belarus, the yearly incidence (of thyroid cancer in children) has risen … more than 100-fold compared to the situation before the accident. … This increase in incidence has been documented up to 500 km from the accident site". <br>If the countries that surround the Chernobyl nuclear power plant had not given out millions of doses of KI pills (like RAD BLOCK ™), thousands of more cases of cancer may have developed. [Note: As of the year 2000, while recommended by the U.S. government and many research groups, the U.S. still does not widely stockpile KI pills as in done in many other countries.] Please see our article on Nuclear Power Plant Hazard Issues for reasons why this is a major problem in the U.S. today. <br><br>The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends taking Potassium Iodide only when public health officials tell you to do so during a radiation emergency (such as a major nuclear power plant disaster or with an explosion either involving nuclear materials or an actual nuclear fission or fusion bomb detonation). In a radiation emergency, radioactive iodine could be released into the air and cause potential health risks for up to hundreds or even thousands of miles (in the case of large nuclear weapons explosions). <br><br>Potassium Iodide (KI), a form of Iodine that is quite different than that used to purify water, used to formulate Rad Block tablets, can help protect you by preventing the uptake of radioactive iodine into your thyroid. note: the thyroid, as opposed to the rest of the human body, is extremely vulnerable to even low levels of radioactive iodine. <br><br><br>Directions for Use / Daily Dose:<br><br>Use as directed by a physician and as directed by public health authorities. <br>Adults - 2 tablets taken once per day <br>Children 3 to 12 years of age - 1 tablet taken once per day<br>If a child cannot swallow this pill, the pill should be crushed and administered in milk, juice, jam, soda, etc. – to eliminate the bitter taste – taken once per day. <br>Children 1 month to 3 years of age - One-half (½) tablet crushed and stirred into solution with juice, milk, jam, or formula . taken once per day <br>Neonates (birth to 1 month of age) - Only a single administration of one-quarter (¼) tablet crushed and stirred into formula, breast-milk, milk, or water should be given to neonates who are in their first week of life outside of the womb, even for premature babies, unless otherwise specified by a physician. If approved by a physician, subsequent doses of one-quarter (¼) tablet crushed and stirred into formula, breast-milk, milk, or water may be given to neonates after their first week of life if there is a continuing hazard. <br><br>Pregnant and nursing women may take this product (although be sure to refer to the WARNING section that follows) but should consult a physician prior to continuing daily dosages after the second day. Adults and older children should take this tablet preferably with milk or food to limit any potential adverse gastrointestinal response. If only a limited number of RAD BLOCK ™ or similar pills are available, these should be given to infants, children and young adults first as its effectiveness (and also the risk of thyroid cancer) drops off with adults over 40 years of age. Adults 40 and over should not take KI beyond 1 day unless directed to do so by a physician (or unless the adult is continuing to be exposed to high levels of radioactive iodine that threaten thyroid function). <br><br>Potassium Iodide (KI) should be taken as soon as possible after public health officials tell you and if at all possible, prior to or shortly after radiation exposure. Dangerous radioactive iodine can be blocked by nearly 100% if taken prior to radiation exposure and can still block 50% even hours after exposure. You should take one dose daily (per the preceding paragraph’s guidelines). More will not help you because the thyroid can “hold” only limited amounts of iodine. Larger doses will increase the risk of side effects. You will probably be told by health authorities not to take the drug for more than 10 days after the end of exposure to nuclear radiation (but note the Daily Dosage section above and the Warning section below for pregnant and nursing women and for neonates and for those 40 years of age and older). In the case of a nuclear power incident, this may be less than two weeks total dosage time. In the case of a major nuclear war (even if overseas) or with nuclear materials terrorism incident, authorities may recommend taking KI for 100 or more days for children and young adults.

An FDA site with more info: http://www.fda.gov/cder/guidance/5052fnl.pdf

Tom<br><br>Well stated, and proof that you don't have to be rude or demeaning to make an important point. Thanks.<br><br>Robb

<turns red> Er, thanks, Robb - but re-reading it, I could have been a bit more "polite". I think something caught a couple of my buttons in the wringer - no excuse; I should know better.<br><br>The threat of nuclear terrorism is and has been quite real. There's more than enough factual information readily available in "open sources" for anyone to figure that much out. Therefore I suggest that discussing survival of that sort of incident is about as appropriate as major earthquakes, hurricanes, industrial disasters, and other catastrophes that may occur - generically "urban survival".<br><br>If one is very near a "potential target", knowledge, planning, a bit of precaution, and luck may be really important. "Bugging out" or "bugging in" decisions must be made extremely rapidly and there are inevitable consequences attendant to making the "wrong" decision. (Bugging in would almost for certain be a temporary action and the risk management of when to execute "bug out" and how is extremely important - but not difficult; there is some science to that decision.)<br><br>The farther away (downwind) one is, the more time (still short) there is for making the first crucial decision - stay or flee.<br><br>One (of several) critical difference between nuclear terrorism and nuclear war is that terrorist events are not going to engulf an entire nation or continent, so the survivors can expect massive and continuing aid. This does not mean that simply sitting in a cellar for 4 weeks slowly absorbing rem after rem while waiting for "rescue" is a good idea! A little science learned beforehand and used in such an event could be a life-or-death investment.<br><br>But it's a potential catastrophe that has known dimensions, so save for a bit of bad luck (wrong place at the wrong time), surviving it is in some ways less difficult to plan for than other events. In other ways... inaction of one sort or another would surely lend death swift invisible wings.<br><br>Those of us who do not live in the USA should not be complacent. The USA may be a big target, but it's hardly the only one - more than a dozen countries leap to mind immediately for varying reasons, and no, they are not all in Europe by a long shot. Quite global. I am fairly capable of understanding non-USA points of view and make reasonable attempts to do so. <br><br>Regardless, somewhere, sometime, someone is going to detonate a nuke or nukes on someone else for some reason, real or perceived. I've been quite convinced of that for many years. The odds of many of us being caught in that are probably low. The odds of some of us being caught in that are probably great enough to at least merit discussion and consideration, in my opinion. Not great enough at the moment to lose any sleep over <smile>.<br><br>Regards to all,<br><br>Tom<br><br><br><br>

A follow up to this thread. Today's MSNBC posted an article from whichI lifted the following passage:<br><br>" Today the Bush team is clearly focused, and the CIA and FBI are cooperating more smoothly. They had better: ominous if unconfirmed threats keep pouring over the transom—among them, NEWSWEEK has learned, a recent CIA warning of a “series of explosions using ‘low charge’ nuclear weapons.” "<br><br>Very interesting and ominous.