Marketwire, Inc.

With the first day of June marking the start of hurricane season, Energizer (NYSE: ENR), the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and the many fire departments that serve communities in hurricane prone areas are asking families to be prepared with the Power Through It All program. The program encourages families to assemble an emergency power kit to get ready for any power outages they might face from severe weather. Additionally, the Power Through It All program provides tips to help families stay safe and connected during hurricane season.

When building an emergency power kit, Energizer and the IAFC remind families never to use candles for light during a power outage. In addition to a flashlight for each member of the family, an emergency power kit should include a battery-powered radio to help families track the progress of a storm, a battery-powered cell phone charger to help loved ones stay in touch and replacement batteries.

Why Flashlights Instead of Candles

According to the National Fire Protection Association, candles are the third leading cause of injuries from home fires, following cooking and heating*. Therefore, the simple step of making sure there are flashlights and lanterns handy, that the batteries are fresh, and that you have an emergency power kit readily available, could save your family's life.

"Facing a hurricane is frightening enough, so you don't want to expose your family to the secondary risk of an accidental home fire," says Chief Larry J. Grorud, president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs. According to the National Fire Protection Association, on average, one home fire caused by candles is reported every 34 minutes*. "Making sure you are prepared with a flashlight or lantern for each member of your family helps reduce that risk in case of a power outage."

"As first responders to all emergencies, our partners at the IAFC know firsthand the danger that can arise from an accidental home fire. Making sure people are educated on our program and the dangers of using candles when the power goes out will no doubt be life-saving," said Betsy Laakko, Director of Marketing for Energizer.

Important Tips for Building a Power Through It All kit:

• Put the Power Through It All(TM) kit in a location that is easily accessible to every family member.
• Include at least one flashlight for every member of the household, such as a Compact LED Flashlight.
• Include a battery-powered lantern for illuminating larger spaces and rooms.
• Include a battery-operated weather radio to track the storm.
• Include extra batteries in a variety of cell sizes, such as Energizer MAX batteries (AA, C, D) for extended power outages, along with extra batteries for critical care devices like hearing aids and glucose monitors.
• Include battery-operated cell phone chargers like an Energizer Energi To Go to keep your family connected during severe weather.
• Include Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries to power high drain devices like cell phone chargers. Lithium batteries have a longer storage life and perform well in extreme temperatures.

Power Through It All is part of the Energizer year-long family preparedness program, Keep Safe. Keep Going which also includes the Change Your Clock Change Your Battery program in the fall.

The Change Your Clock Change Your Battery program was started in 1987 by Energizer and the International Association of Fire Chiefs as a way to remind people to change the batteries in their smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors when they change their clocks back to Standard Time in the fall.

For a complete list of tips for preparing for storms and important home fire safety tips, visit the Keep Safe. Keep Going website, www.energizer.com/preparedness.

Related

• International Assoc. of Fire Chiefs
• Energizer

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June 1, 2009