ST. LOUIS, May 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In the past year alone, nearly
every part of the nation has been affected by a natural disaster or extremely
severe weather, from unexpected tornadoes in the Southeast and earthquakes in
the Midwest, to severe storms and deadly flooding in many parts of the
country. Yet according to a recent survey(1) by Energizer (NYSE: ENR), nearly
seven out of 10 Americans expressed having little to no concern regarding an
emergency situation happening in their area, and nearly half of those surveyed
(43 percent) say their family is not prepared for a potential disaster.
With experts predicting an active hurricane season that begins June 1,
Energizer, a leader in dependable, portable power and lighting products, is
urging all American families to join the Gulf region in preparing their
families ahead of time for whatever emergencies or disasters may occur in
their area.
"The start of hurricane season is a great time to remind all Americans
that no matter where they live, natural disasters are a threat," said John Van
Pelt (http://www.stormstudy.com), severe weather expert and spokesperson for
the Energizer Plan. Prepare. Protect.(R) program. "Unlike hurricanes, most
disasters strike without warning, so preparing ahead of time is key."
As part of the program, Energizer and Van Pelt are teaming up with local
fire departments, schools, and community youth organizations across the
country to give families the information and products needed to help prepare
for disasters. Proactive efforts, such as developing a family disaster plan
and assembling an emergency kit, are the focus of a series of community events
the company is hosting in San Antonio, Orlando, Norfolk, Va., Miami and San
Diego.
Reinforcing the urgency of preparedness is a primary focus of the events,
especially since the survey found that more than half (56 percent) of families
do not have an emergency kit, and nearly a third (32 percent) have done
nothing to prepare for an emergency. In light of these findings, Energizer and
Van Pelt agree there is no better time for Americans to take action than now.
"At Energizer, we are passionate about helping people prepare for the
unexpected," said Betsy Laakko, director of marketing at Energizer. "By
combining our expertise in portable power and lighting products with the
safety expertise of local firefighters and John Van Pelt's knowledge of severe
weather preparedness, Energizer wants to get more Americans ready in advance
of a natural disaster, whether it is a hurricane, tornado, power outage or
other emergency situation."
Power and Light the Way to Family Safety
As part of the Plan. Prepare. Protect.(R) program, Energizer is donating
at least $50,000 in Energizer(R) batteries, lighting products and cell phone
chargers -- essential items for any preparedness kit -- to communities
nationwide. The products feature innovative technologies that make it easy to
keep going, especially during a power outage, including:
-- Energizer(R) Energi To Go(R) Instant Cell Phone Chargers, which supply
power to most wireless phones, charging them instantly so that users
can start making phone calls in as few as 30 seconds after plugging in
the device.
-- Energizer(R) Weather Ready(R) flashlights feature lighting solutions of
all sizes, from compact flashlights to area lights and lanterns with
long-lasting LED technology that can last hundreds of hours using one
set of batteries. Energizer(R) Weather Ready(R) lights are designed to
withstand inclement conditions and provide long-lasting light during
power outages.
-- Energizer(R) batteries power a variety of devices found in emergency
kits. Energizer(R) MAX(R) batteries are ideal for weather radios,
flashlights and battery-powered fans. Energizer(R) e2(R) Lithium(R)
batteries perform in extreme temperatures and have a 15 year shelf
life. Energizer(R) specialty batteries help keep critical health
devices going, from glucose meters to hearing aids.
In addition to holding local-market grassroots events, Energizer is
relaunching a comprehensive preparedness Web site that offers valuable tips,
checklists, home safety facts and other information about power outages caused
by everything from tornadoes and earthquakes to severe storms. The site,
http://www.energizer.com/preparedness, serves as an online resource to teach
families more about severe weather and help them prepare for disasters
anytime, anywhere.
For more information about the program and helpful tips on how to keep
going in an emergency situation, visit energizer.com/preparedness or
stormstudy.com.
About Energizer:
Energizer Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: ENR), http://www.energizer.com,
headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, is one of the world's largest
manufacturers of primary batteries, battery-powered devices and flashlights.
Energizer, a global leader in the dynamic business of providing portable power
geared toward the new digital age, offers a full portfolio of products
including, the Energizer(R) MAX(R) premium alkaline brand; Energizer(R) e2(R)
Lithium(R) and Energizer(R) e2(R) Titanium Technology(R) performance brands;
Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) Rechargeable batteries and chargers; and
miniatures brand batteries.
The Energizer product line also includes specialty batteries for hearing
aids and medical devices, as well as for keyless remote entry systems, toys
and other uses. Through its flashlight unit, Energizer brings innovation to
this important household device. Energizer continues its role as a technology
leader as it launches Energizer(R) Energi To Go(R), portable battery-driven
power packs for cell phones.
About John Van Pelt:
John Van Pelt is a storm preparedness expert, founder of the Storm
Education Team and has been a trusted source for weather information to
organizations such as the National Weather Service and the National Hurricane
Center for more than two decades.
Based in Raleigh, N.C., the Storm Education Team is a personally-funded
project with the goal of providing constant public awareness of severe weather
threats to the citizens of the United States including flooding,
thunderstorms, tornadoes, lightning, hurricanes and dangerous winter weather.
Visit http://www.stormstudy.com for additional information about the Storm
Education Team.
(1) This survey was conducted online with a random sample of 1035 men and
women, 18+ who live in a household with at least one other family
member -- all members of the CyberPulse(TM) Advisory Panel. The
Advisory Panel has been carefully selected to closely match US
population demographics and the respondents are representative of
American men and women 18+. Research was conducted in January 2008.
The overall sampling error rate for this survey is +/-3% at the 95%
rate of confidence.
For more information contact:
Niky Roberts, (314) 552-6721
Nrroberts@webershandwick.com
Jackie Burwitz, (314) 985-2169
JacquelineE.Burwitz@energizer.com
SOURCE Energizer Holdings, Inc.
