Public Health Preparedness

Brunswick County Health Services works hard to ensure our department is prepared to respond to all public health emergencies including infectious, occupational, or environmental hazards. To date, our program has responded to a host of emergencies including Hepatitis A, Zika, COVID-19, hurricanes, and severe weather as well as nuclear events.

During each event, we serve as the department’s coordinators to 

  1. Monitor and respond to the event
  2. Provide assistance and support to all partners 
  3. Provide guidance and recommendation for key decision-makers

Before and after events, we develop strategic plans to outline how our department will respond to each event. At the conclusion of developing a plan, we train and exercise to test our overall readiness. Exercising our plans allows our team the opportunity to evaluate the department on overall readiness to ensure we can respond to any event.

Potassium Iodide (KI) Distribution

As part of Brunswick County’s continuing emergency preparedness effort, we continue to make available free potassium iodide tablets (KI) to county residents who live, work, and or/attend schools within a 10-mile radius of Emergency Planning zone (EPZ) of the Brunswick Nuclear Power Plant.

Potassium iodide is a non-prescription medication that is used to protect the thyroid gland, in the event of a nuclear release or radiological emergency. If taken at the appropriate time and at the proper dosage, potassium iodide can block the intake of radioactive iodine, therefore reducing the risk of thyroid cancer.

Potassium iodide should NOT be taken unless directed by public health officials. If taking potassium iodide is recommended by public health officials, residents and businesses should still follow evacuation or shelter-in-place recommendations as well.

Call Brunswick County Health Services at 910-253-2385 for more information and for how to pick up Potassium Iodide tablets.