According to "Nuclear War Survival Skills" published by Oak Ridge National Lab. Potassium and iodine salts taken 1/2 hour to 1 day before EXPOSURE to the radioactive fallout will protect the thyroid from 99% of radioactive iodine exposure. (each Iodine dose is only an effective blocker for 1 day)

This is very informative. The modified guidelines for Iodine use after Chernobyl. The conclusions section at the end is worth a read.
http://www.fda.gov/cder/guidance/4825fnl.htm

The Iodide or Iodate needs only be taken until you are no longer exposed to the radioactive Iodine, in most cases 30 days from a single non continuing event, or until you move from the contaminated area which ever is sooner. If you are exposed to radiation for longer than that, the possible sidefects of the Iodide etc is the least of your worries. <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> Radioactive iodine damage is accumulative and so even if you take the iodide as you are exposed it will limit the damage to your thyroid. The FDA say it may still be protective if taken 3 to 4 hours after the fallout cloud passes over.

I think it is a very good precaution to have the iodide tablets in your kit, and remember that after a blast you are exposed to gama radiation immediately (if you are in line of sight) and then the fallout can come hours or days later, depending on how far you are from the blast site. Fallout is dust that has been made radioactive by the blast and is falling out of the air from where it has been blown or blasted, and so moves with the weather systems. Rain will cause it to be washed out of the sky to a great extent.

Also remember that if you are preparing for a nuclear strile of some kind, any sensitive electronic backup equipment should be stored inside a metal ammo box in a plastic or insulating container, or it may be damaged by any potential Electro Magnetic Pulse.


Good job on your BOB it looks like you have thought it out well.


Macgyver.