Energizer Urges Americans to Prepare for the Unexpected as Part of Nationwide Plan. Prepare. Protect.(R) Campaign

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 , 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. , 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