BEAUMONT—How do you feel about North Korea?
It is the question the owner of Smith’s Country Store in Beaumont, Wyoming County is asking customers.
North Korea’s leader has made aggressive moves toward South Korea and the United States.
So along with coffee and milk, customers can also buy iodide potassium pills at Smith’s store.
“You know, I’m not a doomsday prepper, I don’t think we’re going to have a zombie apocalypse or anything like that but if there is a problem, if there is a nuclear attack or a problem at the power plant…these, they offer some protection,” said Smith of the pills, which are designed to block some of the effects of radiation and help prevent cancer.
Smith said he became interested in getting the pills after a tsunami in Japan caused problems at a nuclear power plant.
Since then, he has stocked the pills, which cost 8 dollars a pack.
He has some for himself and each member of his family and he said customers are buying them.
“Absolutely, you always have to be concerned,” said John Sheflar of Noxen about possible threats.
“We’ve had those pills in our emergency preparedness kit for along time and I have a son in Sullivan County and in case the wind is blowing the wrong way from berwick he has some too. I’m not overly concerned at this point in time about North Korea but for just every day emergency purposes, it’s somethign everyone should consider having,” said Marie Rowland of Beaumont.
“It’s like an insurance policy if you have them for 8 or 10 years or whatever, you throw them away and buy another batch, hopefull we’ll never need them,” said Smith.
