ST. LOUIS, May 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- With storm season underway in many areas of the country and hurricane season only a month away, Energizer Holdings, Inc. today issued a call to action for all Americans, urging them to prepare their families and homes before severe weather and natural disasters strike. The company officially kicks off its "Plan. Prepare. Protect.(R)" program today, on the heels of the National Hurricane Conference in New Orleans, where experts predicted an active 2007 hurricane season.

Energizer, a leader in dependable, portable power, is partnering with some of the country's most knowledgeable experts to shine a light on the importance of preparedness, providing relevant tips, severe weather information and new products to help people "keep going" during an emergency. Through the Plan. Prepare. Protect. program, Energizer aims to help Americans focus on "before-the-storm" activities, such as building an emergency kit and having a family disaster plan. In addition, Energizer is donating $100,000 in Energizer products to the American Red Cross, and $10,000 in funding to the American Red Cross St. Louis Area chapter.

The company is partnering with severe weather expert John Van Pelt of the Storm Education Team to spread a message of preparedness to residents who live in areas of the country most often threatened by severe weather. Van Pelt and his team have been intercepting storms and gathering weather data for nearly eight years, becoming a trusted source of weather information for organizations like the National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center.

"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 with the knowledge of severe weather preparedness expert John Van Pelt, 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."

A Portfolio of Products for Emergency Needs

As part of the Plan.Prepare.Protect. campaign, Energizer is donating thousands of dollars in products to help families get ready for emergency situations. Energizer(R) Energi To Go(R), Weather Ready(R) lighting products and a variety of Energizer batteries -- essential items for any preparedness kit -- are being donated through the Red Cross to people throughout the country.

-- Energizer Energi To Go Instant Cell Phone Charger -- The newest addition to Energizer's preparedness portfolio, Energizer Energi To Go is a portable battery-powered cell phone charger that supplies 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. During a power outage, Energizer Energi To Go can provide power to cell phones, which may be a family's best way to stay connected during power outages and evacuations. -- Weather Ready flashlights -- Energizer is also a leading manufacturer of flashlights, including Weather Ready lighting products -- specially designed for weather-related needs. From area lights with long-lasting LED technology to smaller compact flashlights, the Weather Ready line is designed to withstand inclement conditions and provide long lasting light sources during and after the storm. -- Energizer batteries - From emergency radios, flashlights, and battery-powered fans, to essential medical devices, Energizer(R) MAX(R), Energizer(R) e2(R) Lithium(R) and specialty batteries power up essential preparedness tools large and small. Together They Prepare

In addition to offering a portfolio of reliable products, this year Energizer will be educating residents across the country so that they can better prepare their families for emergency situations. During hurricane season, Energizer will be working with local Red Cross chapters, community organizations and retail partners in New Orleans, Miami, Tampa, Houston and Atlanta to organize community events that will teach residents the importance of having a disaster plan in place, provide them with products and demonstrations for building emergency kits, and offer preparedness tips to help them protect their assets before a warning has been issued.

"The American Red Cross is very grateful for Energizer's generous donation as we enter another hurricane season," said Kathleen Loehr, senior vice president of Development at the American Red Cross. "Through Energizer's gift of instant cell phone chargers, flashlights and batteries, the Red Cross will be better prepared to ensure that Red Cross volunteers, employee and disaster survivors are given the tools and resources they need to respond to and recover from disasters."

Weathering the Storm

In addition, Energizer is working with severe weather preparedness expert John Van Pelt of the StormStudy Education Team as part of the Plan. Prepare. Protect. program. Van Pelt, a storm expert and trusted source for weather information, will be visiting cities throughout the Gulf coast in advance of hurricane season.

"Severe weather awareness has been a passion of mine for 25 years, and I am honored to be part of the Plan. Prepare. Protect. program," said Van Pelt. "Disaster preparedness is critical to the safety of every American home, and I look forward to helping Energizer educate families across the U.S. about how to be ready in case of emergency."

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.

About Plan. Prepare. Protect.

Started in 2006, the Energizer Plan. Prepare. Protect. program is an educational campaign designed to provide disaster preparedness information and supplies to residents, urging them to create a preparedness plan and set it into motion before disaster strikes. The program makes relevant safety messages available through a series of tips, materials, and tutorials in assembling preparedness kits, while bringing assurance and peace-of-mind to local residents through community events.

The program will run the entire year, focusing on different areas of the country and will provide tips and preparedness information directly related to the severe weather and natural disaster threats of each region.

For additional information on Energizer batteries, flashlights and products, and the Plan. Prepare. Protect. program, visit http://www.energizer.com/preparedness.

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(TM), portable battery-driven power packs for cell phones.

For more information contact: Lorie Eigenrauch, (314) 552-6783 leigenrauch@webershandwick.com Jackie Burwitz, (314) 985-2169 JacquelineE.Burwitz@energizer.com

CONTACT: Lorie Eigenrauch of Weber Shandwick, +1-314-552-6783,
leigenrauch@webershandwick.com, for Energizer Holdings, Inc.; or Jackie
Burwitz of Energizer Holdings, Inc., +1-314-985-2169,
JacquelineE.Burwitz@energizer.com

Web site: http://www.energizer.com/