What is the US Governments position on providing KI to workers and the public in the event of another nuclear emergency?
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) does not dispute the safety or effectiveness of KI. In fact, they require nuclear power-plants to stockpile it to protect plant workers, and FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) plans call for KI to protect those individuals who would be unable to be evacuated in a nuclear accident – especially those under the care of the government (such as prisoners or patients in government hospitals). But the NRC is resisting the calls for a national stockpile of KI, claiming it is “unnecessary.” As a result, the US remains the only major nuclear power that does not have a supply to protect its citizens. Recently, to counter the widespread criticism of this policy, the government announced it had established a “national stockpile” of KI. This news was welcomed by many in the scientific community. However, at a recent meeting, the NRC admitted that its operational “national stockpile” consisted of only 2500 tablets, not even enough for 200 people. As
Related Questions
- What is the US Governments position on providing KI to workers and the public in the event of another nuclear emergency?
- Are benefits and/or compensation available to health care workers who are injured while providing emergency care?
- Why should public service workers get better pension prospects than private sector workers?
