Al Qaeda going nuke?

[JayPea]

'Al-Qaida on brink of using nuclear bomb'

Reading this makes me wonder about the threat of radiation. I've often thought of keeping a stash of KI on hand but haven't pulled the trigger. Do any of you keep it on hand, and if so, what kind of supply (days) do you keep? Any recommendations on suppliers?

 

[xamsx]

Al-CIAda?

 

[dukeboy_318]

not to thread jack but whats K I and how would it help in a nuke situation?

 

[shibumiseeker]

not to thread jack but whats K I and how would it help in a nuke situation?

Potassium Iodide. The thyroid takes up iodine and one of the short lived fallout isotopes is a radioactive form of iodine. By taking KI supplements during this period you reduce the uptake of the radioactive isotope into the thyroid, which if allowed to happen will make you very sick and possibly kill you long term.

 

[dukeboy_318]

Potassium Iodide. The thyroid takes up iodine and one of the short lived fallout isotopes is a radioactive form of iodine. By taking KI supplements during this period you reduce the uptake of the radioactive isotope into the thyroid, which if allowed to happen will make you very sick and possibly kill you long term.

ah okay, thank you, sounds like i need to make a trip to the walmart

 

[Goosepond Monster]

Haven't they been saying this for a few years now?

 

[Keith_Indy]

Have KI for wife and I. Should probably get new stock, since it's old.

They are talking about dirty bombs, not nukes. They've been trying to collect the material and expertise for years now, and it's nothing new. The story is only "news" because of the diplomatic documents in the wikileaks leak

 

[irishfan]

I have never understood some of these supposed nuke talks. If the terrorists had the capability to do a large attack here then they would have done it by now. If I were to worry about anything involving nuclear radiation then it would be from a power plant meltdown.

 

[shibumiseeker]

I have never understood some of these supposed nuke talks. If the terrorists had the capability to do a large attack here then they would have done it by now. If I were to worry about anything involving nuclear radiation then it would be from a power plant meltdown.

Because it's the easiest way to instill terror that keeps on giving.

Not that it's easy from the standpoint of obtaining materials, but that it's the easiest way for a very small team (one person) to affect the largest number of people. They haven't done it yet most likely because obtaining the materials is the hard part, and it's possible that they have been thwarted in ways they may not even know about, so we the public won't know either.

Suicide bomb in a crowd, kill a few people and make news for a few days.

Fly a plane into a building and within a few days/weeks most of the damage has been done. Sure there's lingering health issues and the like for the first reponders, but the deaths and the sensationalism is fleeting.

Set off a dirty bomb and not only do you kill however many people immediately, you make LOTS of people sick for weeks and months. Many of them will eventually die from radiation poisoning. The area for several miles around (depending on the bomb) will have to be decontaminated and even after it is folks will still be nervous about it. You can't see, smell, or taste radiation in amounts that are small enough to kill you quickly or over time (leaving out things like Cerenkov radiation, if you are witnessing that directly then you are probably dead within a few minutes to hours). Years later people will be dying of leukemia or thyroid cancer.

Unlike a biological attack, which takes a lot more engineering and laboratory expertise and is mostly the province of state level actors, a dirty nuke is something that a high school shop student could make once materials are available.

As to what I have, I buy Thyrosafe and keep enough doses on hand for our family for 2 weeks. I also keep older expired doses around to give out to other folks if necessary (it doesn't turn unsafe, just loses potency, so they can increase the dose). It's cheap, $20 for enough for our family and has 3 year shelf life (longer, just at reduced efficacy as noted). Mine lives in my to-go pack since I may be responding to a nuclear disaster.

 

[CarmelHP]

KI only protects by blockading the thyroid from I-131 produced by fission. There is usually no I-131 associated with a "dirty bomb" which seems to be to what the article was referring. KI gives no protection from radionuclides other than radioactive iodine isotopes, nor from radiation sickness, nor radiation effects not involving radioactive iodine. Useful, but not a magic bullet.

 

[shibumiseeker]

KI only protects by blockading the thyroid from I-131 produced by fission. There is usually no I-131 associated with a "dirty bomb" which seems to be to what the article was referring. KI gives no protection from radionuclides other than radioactive iodine isotopes, nor from radiation sickness, nor radiation effects not involving radioactive iodine.

I should have quoted better, I was answering two different posts and you are right, I make it look like the two were directly related. I'll edit to better reflect that. I didn't read the original linked article because I was initially just answer the what is KI question.

Edit: just read the original article. A dirty bomb designed to just scatter radioactives won't produce 131-I as CarmelHP notes. But a partial fusion or a fizzle will. Regardless, the prophylactic use of KI has few side effects and is one of those "better safe than sorry" things since you don't have time beforehand to sort out which is which.

 

[CarmelHP]

I should have quoted better, I was answering two different posts and you are right, I make it look like the two were directly related. I'll edit to better reflect that.

I wasn't responding to your post directly before mine, you posted it while I was writing mine. It seems that some may be led to believe that KI is a magic shield against general radiological effects, rather than protection from a very specific and relatively long-term radiation danger. From long-term exposure to Shibumiseeker's knowledge on a vast array of topics, I know his posts are always enlightening.

 

[shibumiseeker]

I wasn't responding to your post directly before mine, you posted it while I was writing mine. It seems that some may be led to believe that KI is a magic shield against general radiological effects, rather than protection from a very specific and relatively long-term radiation danger. From long-term exposure to Shibumiseeker's knowledge on a vast array of topics, I know his posts are always enlightening.

Thanks man! I'd prefer to be accurate than right, so when I do write something that either has my facts wrong, or is misleading in those facts, I have no problem correcting it and admiting I was being inaccurate or incomplete. Your post was a good point that was important to address. Just because folks have taken KI doesn't mean they should not avoid radiation exposure.


It was interesting to learn when I was first learning about KI at some of the inservice I've done on terrorist NBC that something like half of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki survivors developed thyroid issues.

 

[irishfan]

What kind of effects would someone who has their thyroid removed pick up? The KI pills are a great money maker for people who label it as a one stop shop for nuclear radiation but most people don't research the truths behind it.

 

[JayPea]

Thank you all for the great info and feedback, especially CarmelHP & shibumiseeker.

 

[Liberty's Teeth]

I have never understood some of these supposed nuke talks. If the terrorists had the capability to do a large attack here then they would have done it by now.

Trust me, you will find out the day they have the capability.

 

[Leadeye]

Probably the most readily obtainable short half life stuff that would fit the bill for a dirty bomb would be Cobalt-60. It's used in a variety of industrial and medical applications involving radiation. Iodine-131 is a common isotope from Uranium fission but it has a very short half life, 8 days I believe. Fear and the resulting panic from it is the dirty bomb's biggest threat.

 

[Bucky623]

Where is a good place to get Potassium Iodide and/or Thyrosafe?

 

[ATOMonkey]

The best thing you can do to keep from getting sick in the event of a "dirty bomb" is to not breathe in the particulates, or eat them, or drink them. Especially take action to wash yourself as soon as possible.

Radioactive particles do the most damage inside you or very near you over a prolonged period of time.

Short time exposure to external radiation is not usually a big deal. Especially low levels that would come from naturally decaying sources.

So, a high quality respirator is a must, and a tyvec suit with scba is even better.

With those items you might still get some radiation burns, and maybe develop cancer, but it is leagues better than walking around in your street clothes.

 

[cedarhillfarms11]

This has really been a great thread, thanks for all of the good info. I carry a military framed ruck sack with a gas mask, military grade chem suit, some mre's, ammo, and water, but am not very knowledgable about preventative meds to have on hand. My biggest fear right now is the Iranian influence in South America. The terror is really getting close to the backdoor. Iran recently opened an embassy in Venezuela and terrorist training camps are being reported throughout South America. Our open border is an open invitation to islamic radicals, on top of the threat from the ones already here. Our open society politicians are a serious threat to the western way of life. Thanks again for all of the info.