Feeling Powerless? Christopher Meloni to the Rescue!

Ready, Relief, Restore...New York celebs support Duracell in its (literal) drive to bring power to those in need

From the LifeMinute Team

October 1, 2014

It's been three years since Christopher Meloni turned in his badge on Law & Order: SVU, but the actor still can't shake the urge to run to the rescue when disaster strikes. "These are pretty impressive machines," says Meloni with a grin as he admires one of five Power Forward custom vehicles, "And I've been begging them for the keys, but they won't give them to me."

Meloni, Ready.gov and The Weather Channel were among those on hand for Duracell's unveiling of its expanded fleet of Power Forward vehicles. Jeff Jarrett, Duracell Brand Director, says the goal of Power Forward, which launched in 2011, is simple and clear, "The program has one purpose, and that's to donate Duracell batteries to people who have lost power due to natural disasters."

Meloni points out that the effort goes beyond batteries, "Best of all, they're bringing their expertise. They're bringing what they do best: power."

But storm chasing takes a little help from friends in the know -- that's where The Weather Channel and Ready.gov step in. Meteorologist Stephanie Abrams explains, "We have a severe weather strike force team...and what we're going to do is tell Duracell where to go and when to go, so they can get in before the storm hits so they're prepared; they can be there during the storm and then, of course, stay after and help people."

Because no two storms -- or parts of the country -- are alike, the vehicles are designed for the specific needs of each region and the types of disasters it will service, with hubs in New Orleans, San Francisco, New Hampshire and St. Louis.

Meloni says of Duracell's new expanded fleet, "They can cover the continental United States within 24 hours, carrying with them all these resources, all the Wi-Fi, electricity, portable electricity...or if you need to power up your iPhone [or] your iPad...so you can get a connection to the outside world."

What that means for you is no matter where you are when disaster strikes, your chance to get help or to reach out to loved ones will be just down the road, providing not just power but peace of mind.

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