Health officials: No increased radiation risk in L.A. County

Los Angeles health officials said there was no increased radiation risk Friday due to releases at a nuclear power plant in Japan.

"We understand there is concern over the nuclear power complex situation in Japan, and we want to reassure everyone that multiple agencies at the local, state and federal levels are working together to monitor this situation out of an abundance of caution," said Dr. Jonathan E. Fielding, Los Angeles County's public health chief. "Our position has not changed: We still do not expect to see an increase in harmful levels of radiation in California."

In a Friday statement, his office noted that "plume models" forecasting the path of radiation do not track actual radiation levels, but predict where radiation may be carried based on weather patterns.

"Given that more than 5,000 miles separate Southern California from Japan, any radiation from Japan is expected to disburse well before reaching the West Coast," the statement said. "The public should be reassured that L.A. County is equipped with highly sensitive, redundant monitoring systems capable of detecting any significant elevation in radiation levels."

Fielding reiterated earlier warnings against taking potassium iodide, or KI, to ward off radiation poisoning, noting that it is ineffective and could cause side effects.

Although usually benign, potassium iodide can prove harmful to people with allergies to iodine or shellfish, those with certain skin disorders or those with thyroid problems. Possible side effects include nausea, intestinal upset, rashes, inflammation of the salivary glands and severe allergic reactions.

Health officials have urged residents to review information on potassium iodide and general earthquake and disaster readiness.

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Photo: Potassium iodide pills. Credit: Justin Sullivan /Getty Images

Comments

[iggysdog]

This is great. BUT. Why don't the federal and state governments just release their radiation data to the public as it comes in? If nothing has risen beyond background, then what's the big deal?

[Robert]

disburse = disperse

[jj]

interesting that we had days of warnings of radiation plumes coming towards southern california, and on the day it is to be here, no news about it?

i guess it disappeared ?

i think pressure from somebody not to report about it.

no where can i find an accurate radiation reading report?

what happened? and what are we breathing now?

[George2]

I doubt if they would tell us even if the risk were severe--we'd have chaos, people stampeding to, to... Heck, they'd have nowhere to go anyway, except to race the jet stream and wind.

[franklin]

why can't we know how much. no one is reporting the actual amount. not in percent but the actual rad increase

[RR]

If there's no increase in radiation, what are the supposed to report?

[antman]

Thats what they all say

[jvm fan]

I am addicted to this story. The truth is, AMERICANS ARE ADDICTED to crime, war, TRAGEDY food, facebook, video games, blackberries, and lots more according to the new book "ADDICT NATION." This is an enlightening read about all kinds of addictions in the U.S..and is giving me a new perspective. We should be more like the Japanese.

[SinisterCadre]

https://cdxnode64.epa.gov/radnet-public/showMap.do

Monitor EPA radiation readings yourself for the country. I've read that anything over 130 CPM is cause for alarm; most of the states are registering Gamma radiation CPM in the thousands. Can someone explain this??

[Lel]

Considering how munch harmful crap is already floating around in the air around here, I doubt that anything wafting over from Japan will make much of a difference.