"Dirty Bombs"

A dirty bomb is in no way similar to a nuclear weapon. These devises disperse radioactive material by conventional explosives such as dynamite. Radioactive iodine, which potassium iodide protects against, would most likely not be present in a dirty bomb because this type of bomb is not a byproduct of nuclear fission that takes place only within nuclear reactors and during the detonation of a nuclear bomb. If a dirty bomb contaminates your area, follow the instructions of local health officials concerning evacuation, decontamination, and the administering of potassium iodide (although unlikely).