What would you do if, during a heatwave, you lost power? (Q18 S + W 2020)

The chart here reflects answers collected from Question #18 of the Spring2020 and Winter 2020 surveys, which asked: “What would you do if, during a heatwave, you lost power?” The structured responses for this question follow:

• I would turn on my back-up generator.

• I would go to the home of a friend or family member who did have power.

• I would wait until power was restored.

• I would try to reduce the amount of sunlight entering my common spaces in peak hours.

• I would go to a cooling center.

• I would try to air out the house as much as possible.

• I don’t know.

• N/A

• Other, please explain:

Of the 161 respondents who answered, the following was collected: 

• 8 respondents would call their utility company

• 45 respondents would go to the home of a friend or family member who did have power

• 28 respondents said they would wait until power was restored

• 14 respondents would try to reduce the amount of sunlight entering common spaces in peak hours

• 10 respondents would go to a cooling center

• 42 respondents would try to air out the house as much as possible

• 16 said they would not know

• 17 respondents would employ other strategies like drinking water, using damp clothing, ice coolers, and taking showers (9), using fans (6), stay out of the house as much as possible (4), go to a hotel, beach house, or temporary housing (6), and pray (1). 

• 2 respondents would turn back-up generators on if they lost power during a heatwave

The data was produced by the Shifting Energy Demands in COVID-19 Survey, which has been administered to 169 people over two time periods. The Spring 2020 survey was administered to 86 people between May and June, and the Winter 2020 survey was administered to 83 people between December 2020 and March 2021. Visit the Shifting Energy Demands in COVID-19 - Spring + Winter 2020 Survey Results page to view more data from our survey. The project is approved by Drexel’s IRB.