Those in Amherstburg who live within a 16.1 km radius of the Enrico Fermi 2 Nuclear Generating Station in Ohio can pick up new Potassium Iodide pills this weekend.
The last distribution was seven years ago, and those pills are beginning to expire.
"Potassium Iodide is actually a thyroid blocker," said Amherstburg Fire Chief Bruce Montone. "Your thyroid gland is what absorbs the radiation exposure into your system, and so the purpose of the pills is to block that from occurring."
The new pills are free. The Ontario Ministry of Health covered the cost.
Residents should only take the pills if the Medical Officer of Health instructs residents to take them. Doctor Mehdi Aloosh would only do that if there were a radiation release from the nuclear power plant. They should stored with your 72-hour emergency kit.
Montone said the detailed planning zone, which used to be called the primary zone, contains about 500 homes along the shore of Lake Erie and Boblo Island.
Boblo Island isn't within the zone, but Montone said emergency planners included those residents in the distribution because of the time it would take to evacuate the island in an emergency.
Distribution is set for Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon at Amherstburg Town Hall and Fire Station One.
Old KI pills should be disposed of after residents receive new ones in the garbage or at a local pharmacy.
Montone said, fortunately, residents have never had to take the pills.
