For Immediate Release
Tuesday, September 24, 2024 | 10:00 a.m. | Essex, Ontario
If you live in the Town of Essex and had previously obtained Potassium Iodide (KI) pills, they are nearing their expiration date. Town of Essex residents will be able to pick up a new package of KI pills on October 9 and November 2 at the following locations:
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October 9, 2024 (6pm-9pm)
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Fire Hall Station #1 at 55 Alice Street North, Essex
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Fire Hall Station #2 at 3575 North Malden Road, Gesto
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Fire Hall Station #3 at 25 Centre Street East, Harrow
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November 2, 2024 (10am-2pm)
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Harrow and Colchester South Community Centre at 243 McAffee Street, Harrow
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Essex Centre Sports Complex at 60 Fairview Avenue West, Essex
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The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU), in partnership with the Town of Essex, will be distributing KI pills to the Town of Essex residents living in the secondary zone which is 80 km from Enrico Fermi 2 Nuclear Generating Station. This initiative is to ensure our community is prepared in the unlikely event of a nuclear emergency.
After receiving new KI pills, residents can safely dispose of expired KI pills in their household garbage or drop them off at their local pharmacy.
All Windsor-Essex County residents can visit our website for more information on how they can get KI pills either in-person or by mail.
KI pills block the thyroid from absorbing radioactive iodine which may be released during a nuclear incident. KI pills would help to prevent the development of thyroid cancer in such instances.
KI pills are only to be taken when instructed by the WECHU’s Medical Officer of Health. The pills should be stored in a safe, dry, and accessible place along with your 72-hour emergency kit.
While the level of risk has not changed at Fermi 2, the regulatory framework for Canadian nuclear installations has been updated. The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) has mandated that all residents within the primary zone of a nuclear installation have KI pills available in their homes. While Fermi 2 is not regulated by the CNSC, the WECHU and the Town of Essex want the residents living within the primary and secondary zones of Fermi 2 to be as prepared as all other Canadian residents.
For more information on KI pills and KI pill distribution, please visit wechu.org/KI or call 519-258-2146 ext. 4445.