ADVISORY/Nearly Two-Thirds of U.S. Households Not Prepared for Disaster Duracell/Harris Interactive Survey Shows.

Business Editors

ADVISORY...for Monday (March 3)

--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 3, 2003

First City-By-City Analysis of Preparedness; Comprehensive

Guidebook Available Through Red Cross Today

WHAT: -- Harris Interactive, on behalf of Duracell, surveyed households in the nation's ten largest cities on their level of preparedness for disasters -- Survey is part of a preparedness partnership between Duracell and the Red Cross being launched today  -- Survey was conducted from February 13, 2003 to February 24, 2003 -- Results of Duracell/Harris Interactive Preparedness Survey provides the first-ever city-by-city analysis of preparedness measuring 15 key criteria -- Specific preparedness data available on top 10 cities NATIONAL FINDINGS: -- Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of households in America's largest cities do not have disaster preparedness plans -- Despite the recent Orange alert, 39 percent say being prepared for a disaster is not a personal priority -- While a majority of households (59 percent) think they are prepared, more than half lack an evacuation plan (51 percent)  -- Nearly two-thirds of households nationwide (62 percent) lack a disaster supply kit -- 42 percent of households say that the one disaster all households should prepare for is fire, however, households overall said they now fear terrorist attacks nearly as much as they do fire MAJOR METROPOLITAN HIGHLIGHTS:  -- 77 percent of New York households do not have a disaster plan in place - the lowest among all major cities surveyed; 76 percent of New York households also do not have a disaster supply kit in their homes; 54 percent do not have an evacuation plan in place. -- Households in New York fear terrorist attacks (38 percent) more than any other disaster, while Los Angeles households say that they fear earthquakes (42 percent) more than terrorist attacks (19 percent) -- A majority of households in Atlanta (52 percent) have an evacuation plan and more than 59 percent have at least one family member trained in CPR  -- San Francisco was the only one of the 10 major cities in which more than half (57 percent) of the households said they have a kit -- 63 percent of Detroit residents do not have a disaster plan in place while 58 percent of residents there do not have a disaster supply kit SOLVING THE PROBLEM: -- Data was released as a call to action to households across the country -- Red Cross chapters in the top 10 cities, along with corporate partner Duracell, today began making available more than 100,000 free safety guidebooks nationwide  -- The new guidebook is one of the most comprehensive disaster preparedness resources produced to date for households  -- Free downloadable version available at www.redcross.org or www.duracell.com OPPORTUNITIES: -- Interviews with Harris Interactive research team on survey findings -- Interviews with Red Cross chapter executives in major markets -- Visuals, pdfs and hard copies of family safety guidebooks and complete survey -- Graphics and B-roll package highlighting survey findings. B-roll to be available: FEED DATE: MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2003 FEED TIME: 10:30 - 10:45 a.m. EST COORDINATES: C-BAND: TELSTAR 6 (C) /TRANSPONDER 15 /AUDIO 6.2 & 6.8 DL FREQ: 4000 (V) RE-FEED DATE: MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2003 RE-FEED TIME: 1:00 - 1:30 p.m. EST (FED IN ROTATION) COORDINATES: C-BAND: TELSTAR 5 (C) /TRANSPONDER 19 /AUDIO 6.2 & 6.8 DL FREQ: 4080 (V) FORMAT: Package TRT TBA; B-roll