Appendix E-F: Explanation of Study and FAQs

Appendix E: Extended Explanation of Study

IF SENT AS EMAIL - Subject: Additional Information for a CPSC Research Study
Hello,
I am contacting you from EurekaFacts, a survey research company. You are receiving this email because
you have previously requested additional information about the in-home safety survey that we are
conducting on behalf of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
These interviews are an important part of the research process. The purpose of this survey is to inform
CPSC about the use of smoke detectors and CO detectors in homes in the United States. In addition,
information collected from this survey will improve household safety across the U.S. Your input will assist
with developing standards and guidelines that will help protect property and human life.
This study will require a qualified two-member survey team to visit your home to ask you a series of
questions about household fire safety and then test your smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors to
make sure they work. A member of the team who is trained and certified to inspect and install smoke
detectors will test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to see if they are working.
If the batteries in the detectors need to be replaced, we can provide you with a replacement for free. If,
during in-home interview, the survey team finds any detectors to be non-functioning, new ones will be
offered at no cost. If you are renting your home and agree to participate in the study, the property
manager will need to be contacted to discuss arrangements regarding the survey team visit and smoke
detectors testing. All in-home interview sessions will last up to 60 minutes.
In instances where you may not have a smoke detector or CO detector, we are still interested in you
participating in the survey. If your home does not have a smoke detector or CO detector, we will conduct
the interview over the phone instead. The telephone interview will last up to 20 minutes.
The participant will receive a gift card from a major credit card company in appreciation for completion of
the survey. Different incentive amounts are provided depending on whether the participant completes the
in-home or telephone interview. The variation of monetary value is due to the amount of time and effort
involved in the in-home survey administration compared to the shorter telephone survey administration.
If you would like to participate in the study, please call EurekaFacts at the toll-free number
and mention you are calling for the CPSC Smoke and CO Detector study, or click here for
more information. Please have your unique ID ready when contacting our call center staff.
Thank you for your willingness to participate in this important survey.
Sincerely,
EurekaFacts, LLC on behalf of the
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Appendix F: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this study about?

The Survey on Usage and Functionality of Smoke Detectors and Carbon Monoxide Detectors in Households is
sponsored by the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
(CPSC). EurekaFacts, an independent research firm, is conducting the study on behalf of the NFPA and CPSC
in conjunction with their local area partners. Our goal is to gather information about smoke and carbon
monoxide (CO) detectors nationwide.

What is the purpose of the study?

The purpose of this survey is to gather information on perceptions, usage, and functionality of smoke and CO
detectors in homes within the United States. Findings from this survey will help establish a baseline for
measuring future progress, and for providing vital information for public safety education, code enforcement,
and improving the technology.

How will I be contacted?

Field interviewers will be knocking on doors in randomly selected neighborhoods of the metro area. You may
receive a door hanger advertising the study prior to their arrival. When the field interviewers knock on your
residence, you will be asked to participate and screened for eligibility.

When and where will the interview be held?

If you qualify for the in-home interview, a two-member survey team will interview you immediately inside
your residence.

How long will the interview last?

The full-length in-home interview is expected to last up to 60 minutes. The shortened in-home interview is
expected to last no more than 20 minutes.

What is involved in the in-home interview?

This study will require a qualified two-member survey team to visit your home to ask you a series of questions
about household fire and carbon monoxide safety. Both members will present their official badges to confirm
their identity and legitimacy. A trained member of the team will inspect and test your smoke and carbon
monoxide detectors to see if they are working properly. The in-home interview will last about 60 minutes.

I do not have a smoke or CO detector. Am I still eligible?

Yes. We are still interested in speaking with households that do not have a smoke alarm or CO detector. In this
case, we will conduct a shorter interview with you, which will last about 20 minutes. It will consist of some
survey questions only.

How was I selected for this study?

Your neighborhood was selected at random from a list of areas associated with one of the study’s 24
metropolitan areas. Ultimately, this study will represent different regions of the country and various types of
homes. We hope you participate in this important study and contribute to fire safety.

Can I recommend a friend?

No. Households were specifically selected to participate in this study based on several factors. Unless their
household was also chosen for the study, we are unable to interview them.

Will my information be kept confidential?

All responses are kept completely confidential. At no time will any identifiable information be linked to any of
your answers. All information collected through our research process is grouped and reported anonymously.

What are the incentives for participating?

The participant will receive a gift card from a major credit card company as an incentive in appreciation at the
completion of the survey. Participants completing the full in-home interview will receive a $50 gift card.
Participants completing the shortened version will receive a $10 gift card. The different incentive amounts are
due to the amount of time and effort involved in to complete each type of interview.

What precautions are you taking to protect people from COVID?

All sponsors and interviewers have implemented the CDC guidelines to safely conduct this home safety study
while also promoting public health. Interviewers will be wearing masks at all times when interacting with the
public and gloves when handling alarms. They will be practicing social distancing when interviewing
participants and will use hand sanitizer after each interview. Participants are encouraged to also practice social
distancing and wear a mask during the interview.

What is the duration of this study?

We will be conducting this survey between 2019 and 2022 in 24 randomly selected metropolitan areas across
the country (plus the pilot in Washington DC).

Whom can I contact with additional questions?

If you have any questions about this study, contact EurekaFacts via email at [email protected]. If you have any ethical concerns regarding this research, please contact Jorge
Restrepo, Institutional Review Board, at 240-403-4800, or [email protected].