Monroe County officials are again distributing potassium iodide – also known as KI – to residents who live within the 10-mile emergency planning zone of the Ginna Nuclear Power plant. The medication – supplied by the state Emergency Management Office – will be provided free at three area Wegmans stores from now through May 25.

Potassium iodide is an over-the-counter medicine that protects the thyroid gland from radiation that could be released if a serious incident ever occurred at the nuclear power plant. Such a serious emergency has never occurred locally.

Officials encourage residents in the affected area to have one pill on-hand for each family member.

If the need ever arose to take the medication, the Emergency Alert System would be activated and specific instructions would be provided.

The KI is available at the Wegmans stores at 900 Holt Road, 1955 Empire Boulevard and 2157 Penfield Road.