ABC11 EYEWITNESS NEWS KICKS OFF FIFTH ANNUAL OPERATION SAVE A LIFE TO PROVIDE FREE SMOKE ALARMS

(Cary, NC), March 2007 - In the wake of two tragic fires in the Triangle area, ABC 11 WTVD is again taking part in Operation Save A Life to distribute 11,000 free smoke alarms to families in the ABC11 Eyewitness News viewing area. More than 50,000 free alarms have been distributed in the five years of the program. Other community partners include the NC Jaycee Burn Center, Kidde, the News & Observer, 95.7 WKML in Fayetteville and area fire departments. The campaign was kicked off at a luncheon in Cary today (March 2).

“ABC11 takes its role as a responsible member of the community very seriously,” said Bernie Prazenica, president and general manager of ABC11. “To be able to bring all of these partners together to provide these smoke alarms is just one way we can play an important role in this community.”

The free smoke alarms will be available through local fire departments in the 22-county area served by ABC11. Interested individuals should contact their local fire departments to request a free detector.

“In the last week, we have seen how families can have their lives disrupted by fire,” said Prazenica. “If just one of these free smoke alarms can avert a tragedy or save a life, it will all be worth it.”

“Kidde is proud to once again partner with ABC11, the other sponsors, and local fire departments on ‘Operation Save a Life,’” said Bob Aquilino, president of Kidde Residential and Commercial, based in Mebane, NC. “This program not only helps to educate families on fire safety, but also places potentially life-saving smoke alarms in their homes. Hopefully through these efforts, more families will know what to do if and when a fire occurs, and have the warning they need to escape safely.”

Along with the 11,000 smoke alarms donated by Kidde, ABC11 Eyewitness News will air special “fire safety tips” during the month of March featuring local fire department personnel to give viewers specific information on how to prevent injury and loss from fire. Information will also be available on www.abc11tv.com. Another community partner, the News and Observer, will make the life saving tips available weekly in the paper as well.

The program will continue through the month of March.

About Operation Save A Life
Each year, thousands of people lose their lives or sustain injuries in fires. Many of these fatalities can be prevented through proper fire safety education and by having the proper fire safety devices in the home. That is why Kidde and ABC have joined together to implement Operation Save A Life.

Through a series of fire safety messages that will air on ABC and through informative product displays in various retail stores across the country, it is our goal to significantly increase public awareness about fire safety; ultimately helping to reduce the devastating losses that occur each year as a result of home fires.


About ABC11
ABC11 Eyewitness News provides 33 hours of local news every week—serving more than 1 million households in a 22 county area in North Carolina and Virginia. Eyewitness News also provides news, weather and sports information 24 hours a day on ABC11tv.com as well as serving two digital channels ABC11 Eyewitness News Now on Time Warner cable channel 213, and ABC11WTVD Plus on Time Warner 212.

ABC11 WTVD is part of the Disney-ABC Television Group which is home to all of The Walt Disney Company's worldwide entertainment and news television properties. For more information, go to www.abc11tv.com.