Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Patuxent River, in collaboration with Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River and the St. Mary’s County Health Department (SMCHD), successfully conducted a Potassium Iodide (KI) distribution event on March 12, 2025. The drive-through event, held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., provided KI tablets to residents of St. Mary’s County living or working within the 10-mile radius of the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant.

The distribution, a routine initiative by the SMCHD, saw significant participation from the base community. A group of 20 volunteers from all partners, led by Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Katherine Hildreth (NMRTC Patuxent River), worked diligently to organize and execute the event, ensuring a smooth and efficient process. “We identified a problem in our community, got a plan going, and came together to bring awareness to that problem and provide a solution. Navy Medicine and Military Emergency Management have this wonderful overlap when it comes to the desire to keep people safe and well, and this event put that desire on display. My greatest hope is that we have built trust in our base and local community and our efforts support that we truly have their welfare in mind,” commented Hildreth.

“We are pleased with the tremendous success of the KI distribution, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with the St. Mary’s County Health Department and NAS Patuxent River,” stated CAPT Jeremy Hawker, Commanding Officer, NMRTC Patuxent River. “This event underscores our commitment to the safety and well-being of our community.”

The event distributed KI tablets to over 440 households. This proactive measure ensures residents are prepared in the event of a radiological emergency. It is crucial to emphasize that KI tablets should only be taken when explicitly instructed by public health or emergency management officials during an actual emergency incident. KI blocks the thyroid gland’s absorption of radioactive iodine, providing protection during a nuclear event. However, it is not a general radiation protection measure and should not be taken preemptively.

We appreciate the partnership with NMRTC Patuxent River and NAS Patuxent River in distributing KI to our community,” said Kelly Richards, Public Health Emergency Planner at the St. Mary’s County Health Department. “An emergency event involving radiation exposure from the power plant is very unlikely, but these collaborative efforts are vital in ensuring the safety and preparedness of our community.” The St. Mary’s County Health Department (SMCHD) routinely distributes KI tablets to county residents living or working within the 10-mile emergency protection zone (EPZ) of the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant to have on hand in case of emergency. The NAS Patuxent River event was the first coordinated effort to distribute KI tablets specifically to base residents and personnel. To learn more, please visit SMCHD.ORG/KI.