Generator Owner: Focus Group Discussion Guide

Form Approved

OMB No. 0920-XXXX

Expiration Date XX/XX/20XX

ATTACHMENT 12:

GENERATOR OWNERS FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE

Public reporting burden of this collection of information is estimated to average 2 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to CDC/ATSDR Information Collection Review Office, 1600 Clifton Road NE, MS D-74, Atlanta, Georgia 30333; ATTN: PRA (0920-XXXX).

Data Collection

Setting: Focus groups (FG) will meet for approximately 2 hours in a professional focus group facility. A trained moderator will meet with the participant. A note taker will take notes from a behind a one- way mirror.

Consenting: Informed consent will be obtained by the note taker as the participants arrive at the facility.

Process: The focus group will comprise the following steps:

1. Survey: As participants are seated, they will fill out a brief background survey

2. Welcome:

a. Welcome—the moderator will welcome the participants and explain the purpose of the focus group session.

b. Ground rules—the moderator will provide guidance to ensure that participants are allowed to speak without interruption by other participants.

3. Warm-up: Participants will introduce themselves and provide a little information about themselves.

4. Discussion: In the focus group, participants will discuss the following topics:

a. Current use of portable generators

b. Carbon monoxide risks

c. Carbon monoxide prevention and messaging

5. Closing

Welcome (5 min)

Thank you for coming today. Your participation is very important. I’m _____, and I’m from RTI International. I am conducting this focus group for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The purpose of this focus group is to discuss with you how best to inform people about portable generator safety. Your insights are very important to us, and your time today is appreciated. This group will last about two hours.

• You have probably noticed the microphones in the room. They are here because we are audio taping. At the end of today’s discussion, I have to write a report. I want to give you my full attention and not have to take a lot of notes. I will refer to the tape when writing the report.

• Behind me is a one-way mirror. Some of the people working on this project are observing this discussion so that they can hear your opinions directly from you. However, your identity and anything you personally say here will remain confidential. Your names, addresses, and phone numbers will not be given to anyone, and no one will contact you after this group is over. When I write my report, I will not refer to anyone by name.

Before we begin, I want to review a few ground rules for today’s group discussion.

• Most importantly, there are no right or wrong answers. We want to know your opinions and those opinions might differ. This is fine. We want to know what each of you thinks about the issues we will be discussing. I do not work for the people who are sponsoring this research, so don’t hold back from giving me your honest opinions.

• Because we are taping, it is important that you try to speak one at a time. I may occasionally interrupt you when two or more people are talking at once in order to be sure everyone gets a chance to talk and that responses are accurately recorded.

• As a courtesy to everyone, please turn off your beepers & cell phones or place them on vibrate.

• If you need to go to the restroom during the discussion, please feel free to leave; however, I’d appreciate it if you would go one at a time.

• If you have any questions on generator safety at the conclusion of our discussion, we will have an expert available to help answer those questions.

• Do you have any questions before we begin?

Warm up (10 min)

I would like to begin our discussion by asking you to introduce yourself and tell us:

• your first name

• your favorite hobby or activity

I’ll start. I’m ______, and I enjoy _____ ….who wants to go next? (Allow the group members to individually share information about themselves, keeping time so that no more than 5 minutes is used for this process).

Questions		Probes or Follow-Ups
1. I know that we’ve all been through storms before...What are some things that you do to prepare in advance of a major storm, such as a hurricane or ice storm?		Why are these preparations important to you?
2. When you lose power during a storm, how do you decide whether or not to use your generator?		How long do you wait until hooking it up? Are there other factors that you consider before using it (for example, how long power is expected to be off)?
3. What is your most important reason for using a generator? Why not just wait until power comes back on?		What items are you most concerned about powering? [If necessary, prompt with examples—refrigerator, water heater, etc.]
4, Where do you usually place your generator when it’s running?		Why do you place it there? [If necessary, prompt with examples—extension cord length, theft, etc.] How far is it from the house? Are there any places that you wouldn’t place your generator?
5. How often do you run your generator overnight during power outages?		[If yes] What is your main reason for doing so? [If yes] Where do you place your generator when it’s running overnight? [If no] Why not? [If no] Where do you put your generator overnight? Why?
6. What do you think can be some dangers or risks of using generators?		Where did you hear about these risks? How concerned are you about these risks? What do you do to avoid these risks? How concerned are you about the exhaust fumes from generators?
7. What do you know about carbon monoxide gas and its health risks		What are some sources of carbon monoxide? Can you tell me how carbon monoxide affects the body?
8. Do you usually think about carbon monoxide during storms and power outages? How so?		Before attending this group, today, how many of you knew your generator could emit carbon monoxide?
9. How would you know if there was carbon monoxide in your home or garage?		Have you heard about carbon monoxide detectors? How did you hear about them? How many of you currently have a carbon monoxide detector in your home? How many of you don’t know if you have one? How many of you could tell me the difference between a carbon monoxide detector and a smoke alarm? How would you tell them apart? How often do you change the batteries on your carbon monoxide detector? How about your smoke alarms?
10. Where could you go to buy a carbon monoxide detector?		How hard would it be to install one of these detectors yourself? Where would you place the detector in your home?
11. What would you do if you discovered carbon monoxide in your home or garage?
12. What are some things you can do to protect yourself and your family against carbon monoxide?
13. How many of you have seen or received information, in the past, on carbon monoxide and its health risks? [Hand Check]		Did you find it helpful? Did it mention generators? Where did you find the information? What did you do after learning the information? Why did you take those actions?
14. What do you think we can do to encourage people to install carbon monoxide detectors in their homes?		What are some reasons people might not want to get a carbon monoxide detector? Where are some good places to promote carbon monoxide detectors?
15. Based only on our discussion today, how many of you will do something to address the risk of carbon monoxide? What will you do?
16. If could share only one message with others about carbon monoxide, what would it be?