Japanese Nuclear Emergency Affecting Boston Rain: Why Are Bostonians Safe?

The Japanese, through no fault of their own, suffered a terrible earthquake. As a result of this earthquake, the Japanese have been battling a nuclear emergency because they have nuclear reactor(s) in harm's way. Now we find that Japan's problems are Boston's, in a way.

Wendy Koch of USA Today has posted an article titled "Radiation in Boston rain linked to Japan nuclear crisis" at the USA Today website. What does Koch have to say that affects this situation?

The news, as it were, involves Boston rain containing radioiodine-131 or I-131 that has been tracked to the Japanese nuclear power plants.

Of course, Boston citizens, I suppose much as the rest of us would be, are lit up over the possibility of radiation poisoning or over-exposure.

Authorities in the form of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health have advised Bostonians they have nothing to fear. How can they make such a bold assertion?

Officials have told residents that the amounts of radiation are too small to affect them. In fact, these trace amounts of radioiodine will continue to come for awhile but should present no problems. Even dogs drinking standing water are safe.

Why did this radiation hit Boston, which is on the East Coast? When I went to Vietnam we left from California and went away from the country to Japan. Shouldn't the fallout hit California? The answer is, "It already has."

The radiation came across the Pacific Ocean on wind currents. The testimony to its strength and density lies in the fact it made it all the way across the United States via storms and wind currents to Boston and no doubt is contaminating much more than Boston, which is why people are panicking and buying Geiger counters.

A little further research that I think is accurate, at least it makes sense to me, is that theoretically there is no such thing as "safe" radiation. Even the tiniest and briefest exposure could cause cancer. So, why aren't more people getting cancer?

Where our safety apparently lies isn't in the amount of radiation or radioiodine but the odds of any amount affecting us.

According to Professor Bernard L. Cohen in Chapter Five of "The Nuclear Energy Option," "How Dangerous is Radiation?", safety comes not in amount but rather "odds."

Keeping in mind you have a right-brained writer who got a "D" in Physics interpreting a Professor Emeritus of Physics, I believe what Prof. Cohen is saying is that every time we are exposed to radiation we could get cancer but our odds are one-in-1 quadrillion. Even if you get hit with 15,000, well, "hits," you start at the odds of one-in-1 quadrillion.

My question is, why aren't we getting reports from other states when this radiation has obviously gone coast-to-coast?

References:

USA Today Website, Wendy Koch, "Radiation in Boston rain linked to Japan nuclear crisis"

Pittsburgh University Website, Prof. Bernard L. Cohen, "How dangerous Is Radiation?"

Blackmediascoop.com Website, "Japan's Radiation Hits America At a "Billion Times" Below Danger Levels"