In the event of an emergency that requires you to evacuate, everyone in your household should have a Go Bag packed and ready to go. Your Go Bag should be a sturdy and easy to carry backpack or duffle bag containing things you would want to have with you if you have to leave in a hurry. Items to consider for your Go Bag include:

  • Bottled water and nonperishable food, such a s granola bars
  • Personal hygiene items (toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, wet wipes, etc)
  • Flashlight, hand-crank or battery-operated AM/FM radio, and extra batteries
  • Portable cell phone charger
  • Notepad, pen/pencil, and marker
  • Local street maps (paper version)
  • Spare home/vehicle keys
  • Whistle or bell
  • First aid kit
  • Dust mask to reduce inhalation of dust and other debris
  • Work gloves
  • A change of clothing (long sleeve shirt/pants, rain gear, sturdy footwear, etc.)
  • Copies of important documents (insurance/medical cards, contact lists, identification, marriage and birth certificates, etc.) in a portable, waterproof container or plastic bag
  • Back-up medical/assistive equipment and supplies
  • A list of the medications you take, why you take them, and the dosages
  • Cash, in small bills
  • Supplies for your service animal or pet

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends assembling a kit of basic supplies to last three days (72 hours), in the event of a disaster. The kit should be checked at least twice per year to ensure that components have not expired. Identify an easily accessible storage location for the kit, and ensure that all family members are aware of this location. This kit should include the following:

  • Water
    • One gallon per day, per person. This provides for both drinking and sanitary uses.
    • Include additional water for pets, as needed
  • Food
    • Non-perishable items
    • Ready-to-eat canned foods, and a manual can opener
    • Ensure adequate supply for each family member
      • Consider special dietary or other needs
  • Include pet food, if applicable
  • Handheld AM/FM radio and NOAA Weather Tone Alert Radio. Appropriate spare batteries.
  • Cellular phone
  • Chargers for portable electronic devices (phone, laptop, tablet, etc.)
  • Flashlight and appropriate spare batteries
  • First aid kit
  • Whistle or bell
  • Dust mask to reduce inhalation of dust and other debris
    • Adequate supply for family members
  • Plastic sheeting and duct tape to seal windows, doors, and other openings, if advised to do so.
  • Pre-moistened wipes, plastic garbage bags, and zip ties for toileting.
  • Wrench and/or pliers to shut off utilities
  • Local street maps (paper version)
  • Key documents including insurance documents, contact lists, identification, etc. in a portable, waterproof container
  • Medical information (history, allergies, etc.) for each family member.
  • Personal medical/assistive equipment, as appropriate
  • Prescription medications, including a list of the medications you take, why you take them, and the dosages
  • Prescription glasses, if needed
  • Diapers and formula, if needed
  • Spare home/vehicle keys
  • Cash (small bills), change for telephones, etc.
  • Sleeping bag/blankets
    • Adequate supply for all family members
  • Changes of clothes for each family member
    • Long-sleeved shirt
    • Long pants
    • Sturdy shoes
    • Appropriate personal hygiene supplies for each family member
  • Unscented chlorine bleach
    • For disinfecting purposes: dilute nine parts water to one part bleach
    • For water purification: sixteen drops per gallon of water
  • Fire extinguisher (portable size)
  • Matches and weatherproof container
  • Paper plates, cups, eating utensils, paper towels
  • Age-appropriate books, games, etc. for children (if applicable)

Additional Information and Links

If there were an emergency at Indian Point, county officials may recommend that residents take several actions to protect themselves, including sheltering in place, evacuation and taking Potassium Iodide (KI).

How far do you live from Indian Point?
Sirens would sound in the 10-mile radius of Indian Point, and the Emergency Alert and Public Notification system would be used to communicate these instructions from government officials. Find out in which emergency area you live.

Planning Guide
Westchester County’s Emergency Planning Guide is available in English and Spanish. Download a copy to review with your family and keep on hand. A map, contained within the planning guide, shows areas in the Indian Point planning zone, their General Population Reception Centers, School Reception Centers, and bus routes.

If you experience any difficulty accessing the "Are You Ready? Emergency Planning Guide for Indian Point" and require additional assistance, or would like to request a print version, call the United Way 211 Call Center by calling 211.

Preparedness and response

In addition, the county's Radiological Emergency Plan for the Indian Point Energy Center explains official preparedness and response procedures in the event of a radioactive release incident.

Shelter in place
If sheltering in place is recommended, you should stay in a house or building with windows and doors closed and outside air vents shut. This can be an effective emergency response to a radiation release. Because of wind and other weather conditions, for example, a brief release of radiation could pass through the area very quickly. In that situation, sheltering would provide the best protection.

Instructions to evacuate
The order to evacuate specific areas would be given by public safety officials through broadcasts on radio or television. People who are told to evacuate could go to the home of a relative or friend outside of the Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ). Or, they could go to their designated General Population Reception Centers. Use the link to the planning guides above to determine which center is designated for your area.

For those requiring transportation, emergency buses would be available to take families and individuals to their assigned reception center.

What is the EPZ?
The area within a 10-mile radius of the Indian Point power plant is called the Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ). The federal government set the 10-mile radius as the area requiring emergency plans for protecting health and safety in radiological emergencies. Find out if you are in the EPZ.

The entire EPZ would probably not be evacuated all at once. Decisions on whether to take protective actions are based on plant conditions, wind directions, weather and many other factors.

An unnecessary evacuation would tie up traffic for people who are in areas ordered to evacuate. It is important that you do not evacuate unless your specific area is told to do so.

Sirens
Special sirens alert the public to an emergency at Indian Point. The sirens are loud, high-pitched alarms which would be sounded for three to five minutes without interruption.

Further questions
We encourage you to contact Westchester County's Office of Emergency Management, (914) 864-5450, if you have any further questions concerning emergency planning for Indian Point.

The Indian Point nuclear power plants, located in Buchanan, NY, are owned by Holtec International. The site is currently undergoing decommissioning. The reactors are no longer in operation, and the nuclear fuel has been removed from them. The fuel is stored onsite in dry cask storage. Because of this, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has determined there is no longer a risk of a significant offsite radiological emergency.

The NRC recently approved a new emergency plan for the site. One of the major changes in this plan is the elimination of the 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) that existed previously, and which encompassed portions of Orange, Putnam, Rockland, and Westchester Counties. While the EPZ is no longer required, the County of Westchester continues to maintain its emergency plan and preparedness, consistent with the site’s evolving risk profile. The primary goal is the protection of the health and safety of the public in the County.


Emergency Planning
The County’s approach to the Indian Point site is consistent with the “all hazards” approach that would be utilized for any other hazard or disaster within Westchester County. The County continues to act as a resource and partner in support of emergency response by local municipalities by offering planning support, resources, and specialty response assets (including the Hazardous Materials Team and the Technical Rescue Team), Mutual Aid coordination, as well as specialized radiological detection and survey equipment.


Potassium Iodide 
Previously, Potassium Iodide, known by its chemical symbol KI, was distributed by Westchester County. In the event of a nuclear power plant emergency, this medication was to be used as a supplement to sheltering and evacuation. Because the NRC has determined there is no longer a risk of a significant offsite radiological emergency, KI supplies are no longer required to be maintained by area residents for this purpose. If members of the public within the previous 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) surrounding Indian Point still have supplies of KI, it can be safely disposed of in regular household trash. 

Potassium Iodide, known by its chemical symbol KI, is an over-the-counter medication. In the event of a serious nuclear plant emergency, KI can be used as a supplement to sheltering and evacuation.

Based on medical studies, federal guidance and an increased public interest in KI-potassium iodide, New York State and Westchester County have developed a program to provide KI-potassium iodide to residents who live, work or travel within the 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone.

Residents should understand that:

  • KI protects only the thyroid gland from radioactive-iodine that may be emitted during a radiological emergency.
  • KI offers no protection for other forms of radiation, nor does it protect any other parts of the body from radioactive materials.
  • KI provides no protection against external irradiation of any kind.

The FDA emphasizes that the use of KI should be used as an adjunct to, not an option “in lieu of” evacuation, sheltering, and control of foodstuffs. If you live within the 10-mile radius of Indian Point, you should pick up some free KI that you may need to use in a radiological emergency.

KI comes in 65 mg. tablets (ThyroSafe) and liquid (Generic). Tablets can be divided for smaller dose requirements. The county Health Department provides information on how to make KI solution from tablets:

If you are instructed to take Potassium Iodide, follow the dosage instructions that come with your KI or follow the instructions in these county Health Department brochures:

Potassium Iodide is provided free of charge for those who live and/or work in the 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone. There are multiple distribution locations throughout the Emergency Planning Zone. To locate the distribution site nearest you, consult the latest emergency guide.