The Ocean County Health Department (OCHD) will be at the Lacey Township Community Hall located at Route 9 and Lacey Road on Friday, October 3, 2014, from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. distributing Potassium Iodide (KI) tablets to persons who live within a 10-mile radius of the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station. Along with other locations in Ocean County, the tablets are also available during regular business hours at the OCHD facility at 175 Sunset Avenue in Toms River. In addition to the Lacey Township Community Hall on October 3rd, 2014, the OCHD will have the tablets available at three other locations on different dates during the month of October.
Tablets distributed in prior years are due to expire; therefore, persons interested in obtaining the KI tablets can do so at 175 Sunset Avenue in Toms River (normal business hours) or any one of the following four locations:
Lacey Township – Lacey Township Community Hall
Route 9 & Lacey Road in Forked River, NJ
Friday, October 3, 2014
3:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Waretown – Ocean County Fire and First Aid Training Center
200 Volunteer Way in Waretown, NJ
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
3:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Berkeley Township Recreation/Community Center
630 Route 9 in Bayville, NJ
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
3:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Barnegat Township – Barnegat Branch of the Ocean County Library
112 Burr Street (corner of West Bay Avenue) in Barnegat, NJ
Thursday, October 30, 2014
4:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
The tablets are available to persons who live within the 10-mile radius (Emergency Planning Zone – EPZ) of the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station as a preparedness measure. According to health officials, Potassium Iodide (KI) can help protect a person’s thyroid gland from radioactive iodine and can reduce the risk of thyroid cancer after a nuclear emergency. If a nuclear emergency were to occur, public health officials would advise as to when the KI tablets should be ingested. Only one dose is recommended per person, as, according to health officials, more than one dose may increase the risk of side effects.
The OCHD also have tablets available for the public at their main location at 175 Sunset Avenue in Toms River. Fact sheets will be distributed at all distribution sites. The Fact Sheet, Consent Form, and Instruction Sheet are all available on the OCHD website and can be accessed via this link: www.ochd.org/KI. One person may obtain tablets for all members of the person’s family. OCHD officials ask that persons seeking the KI tablets present a form of identification (e.g., driver license, pay stub, utility bill, etc.) to show they live or work in one of the following areas:
Barnegat Light
Barnegat Township
Beachwood
Beach Haven
Berkeley Township
Toms River
Harvey Cedars
Island Heights
Lacey Township
Long Beach Township
Pine Beach
Ocean Township (Waretown)
Ocean Gate
Seaside Park
Ship Bottom
South Toms River
Stafford Township
Surf City
As with past distribution of KI tablets, this distribution program is not due to any type of credible threat or imminent danger; it is a continuing preparedness effort by the OCHD. The necessary consent form will be available on site each day but can be obtained along with the fact sheet in advance at www.ochd.org/KI. All questions regarding this program should be directed to the Ocean County Health Department at 732-341-9700 x7503.