California 'too far' for Japan radiation to reach, officials say

Despite the growing nuclear crisis in Japan, health officials in California said they were doubtful that  harmful radiation would flow 5,000 miles to the West Coast.

Jordan Scott, a spokesman for the California Emergency Management Agency, said nuclear experts had reassured officials in his office that “there is no danger at this time.”

Scott said they also have been told that, should a meltdown occur at one of Japan’s quake-damaged nuclear reactors, “it is highly unlikely that we would see any effects of it here.”

Photos: Scenes of earthquake destruction

“Things would have to get kind of 'end of days' for us to see even a little bit of it here. We’re talking very extreme,” Scott said. “We’re just too far for anything to really reach us. A majority of the materials that would come out of there in a meltdown would dissipate” within miles, he said.

“That being said," Scott said, "we are doing our due diligence in monitoring the situation and making sure we have the most updated information.”

State health officials kept close watch Monday on potential radioactive releases at Japanese nuclear plants, making conference calls to local and federal officials every few hours, said Mike Sicilia, a spokesman for the California Department of Public Health.

Sicilia said federal nuclear regulatory agencies had told state officials that the Japanese nuclear troubles did not pose an immediate danger to California.

“The Department of Public Health has radioactive monitoring for the water, food and the air,” Sicilia said. "We do have a plan of response and constant contact with our partners. From a health standpoint, we’re not concerned at this point.”

Some potassium iodide tablets and personal radiation detectors were selling out on Amazon on Monday morning, with price hikes drawing angry accusations of gouging from commenters.

Scott said California residents should not just focus on preparing for a potential nuclear disaster but on preparing for any of the natural disasters that routinely strike the state, including floods, wildfires and earthquakes. He recommended that people check out which disasters are common where they live and prepare with earthquake kits, evacuation and reunification plans.

“It’s a big reminder to people that we are vulnerable to all sorts of disasters," Scott said, "and we need to get prepared.”

RELATED:

Japan nuclear plant rocked by another explosion

Japan-style earthquake and tsunami unlikely to hit Southern California, experts say

Japan's nuclear problems pose little danger to U.S., Nuclear Regulatory Commission chief says

-- Molly Hennessy-Fiske

Comments

[Aaron]

Wow, the level of mistrust and paranoia some are demonstrating in response to this article is truly shocking. Folks, even if some of the radioactive particulates carried by air current reaches our shores it will be so dissipated that it's effects would be negligible. That's not wishful thinking, that's science. Even if a condensed cloud of this stuff somehow (but won't) reach our shores the protocol for protecting you and yours' is simple - stay indoors, preferably in an interior room without doors or windows to the outside and wait for the event to pass. These are not death rays being shot out from the reactor towards the west coast, this would be radiated particulates drifting along in the swirling, dissipating winds of the Pacific Ocean posing no threat to life or health in the U.S. The sky is not falling, no one in the States is going to get cancer from this disaster, and we would be better served finding ways to help the people who are really going to suffer from a meltdown, the Japanese.

[jockeyjane]

I grew up in the midwest. Ohio!! Three mile island, affected so many of my classmates. Many have died from cancer and heart problems. Our rivers,lakes,streams and oceans are greatly affected by radiation.
What is reallky hard to comprehend is the fact that people are acting like ostriches, thinking if they hide there head, everything will be fine. Our goverment is not partakeing in warning the public,about how serious radiation is. I do!!! My health is not to good. I've had to have my teeth reconstructed over and over.

[Marcus]

The Russian reactor didn't have any of the shielding that these ones do, and was manned by incompitents, so stop peddaling your fear, ignoramuses!

The FIRST level of containment has yet to be breached, so CALM DOWN!

Now who's fear mongering, huh?

The chance of the nuke reactors affecting anyone on the west coast is so negligible that it is effectively 0 probability. Leave it to those who know the least to squawk the loudest. I laugh my butt off at the morons who live in the SF Bay area, which is a primary target for Muslim nuke attack, buying radiation pills now that their precious liberal propaganda networks and dumba$$ friends have scared them into futile action.

[rastus]

I don't trust anything anybody in California government says. They cannot even manage their own budget. PREPARE! Do what you need to protect your family. And by all means, don't ever vote for another Democrat again!

[Jason]

Well DUH...if people would know history and use common sense. We dropped TWO atomic bombs on Japan and we received NO radiation harm. We did OPEN AIR testing of hydrogen bombs (even more radiation) in the Pacific Ocean and had microscopic effects to our population here in the states. The military did many atomic bomb tests in the Southwest and only local citizens were endangered from fallout.

By the way, IF YOU MUST SEEK OUT iodine pills and cannot find any. Your local vitamin store will have KELP supplements which are high in iodine. I'm not sure how many you are required to take....ASK YOUR DOCTOR!

[The Figueroa Family]

We need to do something about our "energy situation" all around the world. Leaving Earth to our next generations with it glowing from radiation is not a healthy answer This type of accident will happen again - it's just a matter of time. When "accidents" happen such as this - it takes years, and years for the "fall out" to go away.

[Rachael Sullivan]

Hi,
I'm nervous about something I just read and I'm hoping you can help clarify.
In reading this article:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/sc_nm/us_nuclear_usa
I found this:
"A United Nations forecast projects the radioactive plume from the Fukushima facility would reach the Aleutian Islands on Thursday and hit Southern California late on Friday, The New York Times reported.

The projection, calculated on Tuesday and obtained by the newspaper, gives no information about actual radiation levels, it said. Health and nuclear experts emphasize that radiation in the plume will be diluted as it travels and will have extremely minor health consequences in the United States, it reported."

Can we trust that the plume will be harmless? Will the public be advised to stay inside? Will schools keep the kids inside, just to be safe?
Thank you.

[Dan]

Why do you think the president is in Chile? Don't trust the government.. EVER! Radioactive I 125, 126, 131 can be relatively harmless if the thyroid is saturated with certain levels of potassium iodide (only temporary protection and should not be taken for more than 2 tweeks). On the other hand.. plutonium 236, and cesium is what will be riding the jet stream and into our food, water supply and into our childrens lungs (children are especially susceptible to radiation poisioning). I predict in the next year or two the incidents of juvenile cancers will go through the roof (by that time.. those affected wouldn't be able to point fingers and sue.. (and i have children of my own). I don't know what advice to give but.. END NUCLEAR POWER NOW!.. AND TEAR DOWN ALL STANDING REACTORS. I wish you all the best of luck and health.

[Windfall]

Why is the President of the United States clowning around on ESPN and dancing in Rio rather than camping out in the White House Situation Room with a team of experts to Number One: Assess the situation (if necessary, independent of the Japanese government) and explain to the U.S. citizenry exactly what is going on, what the options are and what he intends to do right now?

It's more than obvious – and has been for several days - that the Japanese need help. Where is the president?

We have nuclear experts as well as military assets scattered all over the world not to mention tens of thousands of soldiers (aka live targets) in harm's way in Afghanistan but when we have a real threat to the United States, Clueless Comrade Barry thinks it time to party. This is insane.

At the very least, The President of the United States should use the assets of his office to sort through the misinformation and level with the American people as to what exactly is going on. Comrade Barry can’t be bothered. He has March Madness. His incompetent Surgeon General is out encouraging people to panic buy potassium iodine pills (which are quite dangerous) while the head of the NRC is saying that’s unnecessary. Help the Japanese? Clueless Comrade Barry can’t even get his own guys to keep their story straight.

Note to Comrade Barry: Along with the perks of being President of the United States, come also a few responsibilities. If you're not up to the task, please resign, pursue your celebrity status full-time and let some responsible adult take over as Commander-in-Chief and Leader of the Free World.

Comrade Barry, you really are clueless, The Peter Principle in (Affirmative) Action.

[ALC]

Jordan Scott should be fired now!!!!!