Comments on: Responding To More Listener Questions From “Brian Lehrer Show” Website http://incaseofemergencyblog.com/2008/04/30/responding-to-more-listener-questions-from-brian-lehrer-show-website/ A Citizen’s Eye View of Public Preparedness Mon, 16 Feb 2026 13:57:48 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: superf88 http://incaseofemergencyblog.com/2008/04/30/responding-to-more-listener-questions-from-brian-lehrer-show-website/comment-page-1/#comment-223 superf88 Tue, 03 Jun 2008 14:24:01 +0000 http://incaseofemergencyblog.com/?p=54#comment-223 Hey there, just coming across your reply now to my comment that I assumed Homeland Security's activities would include organizing public/private evacuation. To your balking at the idea, I suggest you learn about/promote best practices from other countries (rather than suggesting that "citizens reallign their expectations!"). I've lived in Asia and am familiar with other countries as well -- my thought was based on emergency plans already in place elsewhere. After all, organizing flotillas of private boats is both relatively cheap (compared to all alternatives) and a chance for public and private to do something patriotic beyond paying government to chase its tail. Look to China or Vietnam for starters in best practices as described. Hey there, just coming across your reply now to my comment that I assumed Homeland Security’s activities would include organizing public/private evacuation. To your balking at the idea, I suggest you learn about/promote best practices from other countries (rather than suggesting that “citizens reallign their expectations!”). I’ve lived in Asia and am familiar with other countries as well — my thought was based on emergency plans already in place elsewhere. After all, organizing flotillas of private boats is both relatively cheap (compared to all alternatives) and a chance for public and private to do something patriotic beyond paying government to chase its tail. Look to China or Vietnam for starters in best practices as described.

]]> By: Response To An Interesting Reader Post About Potassium Iodide http://incaseofemergencyblog.com/2008/04/30/responding-to-more-listener-questions-from-brian-lehrer-show-website/comment-page-1/#comment-113 Response To An Interesting Reader Post About Potassium Iodide Sun, 04 May 2008 19:29:53 +0000 http://incaseofemergencyblog.com/?p=54#comment-113 [...] the human thyroid from radiation in the event of a terror attack or nuclear accident. In my initial post, I had written: Most experts I’ve spoken to do not think individuals should store KI less because [...] [...] the human thyroid from radiation in the event of a terror attack or nuclear accident. In my initial post, I had written: Most experts I’ve spoken to do not think individuals should store KI less because [...]

]]> By: Alan Morris http://incaseofemergencyblog.com/2008/04/30/responding-to-more-listener-questions-from-brian-lehrer-show-website/comment-page-1/#comment-104 Alan Morris Thu, 01 May 2008 16:25:31 +0000 http://incaseofemergencyblog.com/?p=54#comment-104 Dear Mr. Lehrer: You should be careful about what you read from the government about potassium iodide (KI). It should not be too great a surprise to learn that the current administration has politicized this issue, and once again has put politics above science. In 2004, the US National Academy of Sciences issued a thorough and comprehensive report on KI that strongly endorsed its wide availability. But the Bush administration, earlier this year, decided to ignore the conclusions of this research group, and instead announced that a policy group (the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy) had concluded that KI offered “negligible additional value” and consequently efforts to expand its availability would not be pursued. Thus, although millions of people could need KI in a radiation emergency, almost no one would be able to get it. Unfortunately, your optimistic assumption that “in the event of an attack KI would be distributed by the government” is incorrect since there is almost no KI to distribute. I know this, because the company I work for is the only US FDA approved manufacturer of KI tablets for radiation protection, and is the government’s sole supplier of the product. The KI story is a classic one, where the science is unquestioned, but the government’s response is political. In order to protect the perceived best interests of the nuclear industry, current radiological emergency response plans pay little attention to KI, but instead stress the immediate evacuation of millions. It’s like they don’t remember Katrina. Alan Morris Anbex Palm Harbor, FL alan@anbex.com 727-784-3483 Dear Mr. Lehrer:

You should be careful about what you read from the government about potassium iodide (KI). It should not be too great a surprise to learn that the current administration has politicized this issue, and once again has put politics above science.

In 2004, the US National Academy of Sciences issued a thorough and comprehensive report on KI that strongly endorsed its wide availability. But the Bush administration, earlier this year, decided to ignore the conclusions of this research group, and instead announced that a policy group (the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy) had concluded that KI offered “negligible additional value” and consequently efforts to expand its availability would not be pursued. Thus, although millions of people could need KI in a radiation emergency, almost no one would be able to get it.

Unfortunately, your optimistic assumption that “in the event of an attack KI would be distributed by the government” is incorrect since there is almost no KI to distribute. I know this, because the company I work for is the only US FDA approved manufacturer of KI tablets for radiation protection, and is the government’s sole supplier of the product.

The KI story is a classic one, where the science is unquestioned, but the government’s response is political. In order to protect the perceived best interests of the nuclear industry, current radiological emergency response plans pay little attention to KI, but instead stress the immediate evacuation of millions.

It’s like they don’t remember Katrina.

Alan Morris
Anbex
Palm Harbor, FL
alan@anbex.com
727-784-3483

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