August 31st, 2020
Pills will be available at three area Wegmans stores Aug. 31 – Sept. 26
Monroe County Executive Adam Bello announced today that Potassium Iodide (KI) is being offered at no cost to Monroe County residents who live within the 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone of Ginna Nuclear Power Plant. The pills will be distributed in partnership with Wegmans Food Markets.
"Providing KI to residents who live in close proximity to the Ginna Nuclear Power Plant is an important step we can take to help protect our community in the unlikely event an emergency situation should arise at the plant," said Bello. "I am happy to partner with Wegmans Food Markets and the state Office of Emergency Management to ensure area residents have access to a new precautionary supply of Potassium Iodide."
Potassium Iodide is an over-the-counter medication that helps protect the thyroid gland from radioactive iodine that could be released if a serious incident were to occur at Ginna. Residents living in the EPZ are encouraged to keep one dose of KI on hand for each family member. Incidents requiring the use of KI are exceedingly rare, and one has never happened locally.
If such an event were to happen and residents needed to take the KI, the Emergency Alert System (EAS) would be activated and specific instructions would be provided.
KI will be available at the following stores only:
- Holt Road Store, 900 Holt Road
- Eastway Store, 1955 Empire Boulevard
- Penfield Store, 2157 Penfield Road
Maps will be posted at the three Wegmans stores to help residents determine if they live within the 10-mile EPZ.
"We are proud to continue our partnership with Monroe County on this effort," said Linda Lovejoy, Wegmans community relations manager. "We understand the importance of those in our community having easy access to this precautionary medication and are happy to do our part."
Residents who were provided KI in 2014 are asked to dispose of their old pills in the garbage or take them to an authorized household hazardous waste drop-off or pharmaceutical collection point.
For more information about KI visit www.monroecounty.gov/safety-oep or call the Monroe County Office of Emergency Management at 585-753-3810.
Download the Monroe County/Exelon Corporation Emergency Planning Information Brochure here: https://www.exeloncorp.com/locations/Documents/RE%20Ginna%20Monroe%20EP%20Brochure.pdf
