For Immediate Release
Thursday September 19, 2024 | 10:00 a.m. | LaSalle, Ontario
If you live in the Town of LaSalle and had previously obtained Potassium Iodide (KI) pills, they are nearing their expiration date. LaSalle residents will be able to pick up a new package of KI pills at the LaSalle Civic Centre located at 5950 Malden Rd, LaSalle on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, between 2pm to 7pm.
The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU), in partnership with the Town of LaSalle, will be distributing Potassium Iodide (KI) pills to LaSalle residents. LaSalle is located 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 LaSalle 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.