HELP, I’m Trapped in an Elevator: What to Do if You Are Stuck in an Elevator

Being Trapped in an Elevator can be Scary, Follow these Tips to Stay Safe

Being trapped in an elevator is one of those situations most people never expect to experience. When the car suddenly stops, the doors will not open, or the elevator becomes stuck between floors, it is easy to assume the worst.

The most important thing to remember is that an elevator entrapment does not usually mean the elevator is about to fall. Modern elevators are equipped with multiple braking and safety systems, and in most cases the safest place for a trapped passenger is inside the elevator car while trained personnel respond.

If you are stuck in an elevator, remain calm, stay inside the car, and use the elevator emergency phone or call button to request assistance.

Stay Calm and Remain Inside the Elevator

If the elevator stops unexpectedly, do not attempt to force the doors open or climb out of the elevator.

Remaining inside the elevator car is especially important if the elevator has stopped between floors. Even if you can see a hallway or landing through partially opened doors, attempting to climb out can be extremely dangerous.

An elevator that appears stationary can move unexpectedly if power is restored, a brake releases, or a technician begins working on the system. If someone is halfway between the elevator car and the building landing when that movement occurs, the risk of severe injury is significant.

There is also a serious fall hazard when an elevator is not properly aligned with a floor. A person attempting to climb through an opening may not be able to see the elevator shaft or the distance below.

For these reasons, passengers should remain completely inside the elevator until a qualified elevator technician, firefighter, or other trained responder confirms that it is safe to exit.

Use the Elevator Emergency Phone or Call Button

Most elevators include an emergency phone, call button, intercom, or two-way communication system on the control panel.

Press the emergency call button and wait for a response.

Depending on the building, the elevator emergency phone may connect to a monitoring center, security desk, property management office, elevator service provider, or another staffed location.

When someone answers, explain that you are trapped in an elevator and provide as much information as possible.

Tell them the building name or address if you know it, which elevator you are in, approximately where the elevator stopped, how many people are inside, and whether anyone is experiencing a medical problem.

Some elevator communication systems automatically provide location information when the emergency call is placed, but clearly identifying your location can still help responders reach you more quickly.

What if the Elevator Emergency Phone Does Not Work?

If you press the emergency button and receive no response, try again after a short period.

If you have cellular service, use your mobile phone to contact building management, security, your elevator company, or emergency services.

If you are unable to make a phone call, make noise periodically by calling out or using the elevator alarm.

A failed elevator phone is more than an inconvenience. It can prevent a trapped passenger from communicating with the people responsible for arranging assistance.

This is one reason regular testing of elevator emergency communication equipment is so important.

Do Not Force the Elevator Doors Open

When people become stuck in an elevator, one of the first instincts may be to pry open the doors.

That is generally not safe.

The elevator may not be positioned directly at a landing, even if it appears to be close. There may be a substantial drop between the elevator floor and the building floor, or an opening into the elevator shaft.

The safest course is to leave the doors alone and wait for trained personnel to release the elevator.

Do Not Climb Through a Partially Open Door

This deserves special emphasis because it is one of the most dangerous mistakes a trapped passenger can make.

If an elevator stops between floors and the doors open slightly, do not attempt to crawl or climb out.

Unexpected car movement can occur, and the space between the elevator car and the landing can become a severe crushing or shearing hazard. There is also a risk of falling into the elevator shaft if the car is not level with the floor.

Stay inside the elevator until responders arrive and specifically direct you to exit.

Press the Door Open Button Once

If the elevator has stopped at what appears to be a floor but the doors have not opened, you can press the “Door Open” button once.

If the doors do not respond, use the emergency call system.

Repeatedly pressing every floor button or rapidly pushing the door controls usually will not restart a disabled elevator.

Avoid jumping, rocking the car, or attempting to interfere with the doors or control panel.

Call 911 if There Is a Medical Emergency

If anyone inside the elevator is experiencing chest pain, breathing difficulty, loss of consciousness, severe distress, or another medical emergency, call 911 if possible.

Emergency services should also be contacted immediately if there is smoke, fire, flooding, extreme heat, or another dangerous condition inside or around the elevator.

Tell the dispatcher that you are trapped in an elevator and provide the building location.

If the elevator emergency phone is connected to a staffed monitoring center, the operator may also be able to contact emergency responders on your behalf.

What Happens After an Elevator Entrapment Call?

Once an elevator entrapment is reported, the building or monitoring center can begin coordinating a response.

Depending on the situation, assistance may come from building personnel, an elevator technician, the fire department, or another emergency responder.

Responders will determine the safest way to secure the elevator and release the passengers.

The process may take some time, especially if a qualified elevator technician must travel to the property. Unless there is a medical or environmental emergency, remaining inside the secured elevator car is typically safer than attempting to escape.

Why Elevator Emergency Phone Service Is So Important

An elevator emergency phone may sit unused for months or even years.

That does not make it unimportant.

The entire purpose of an elevator emergency communication system is to work during the rare moment when someone is trapped and needs help.

When a passenger presses the emergency call button, they need confidence that someone will answer.

A dead telephone line, unreliable VoIP connection, deteriorated copper circuit, improperly configured cellular gateway, or disconnected monitoring service can leave trapped passengers without a reliable way to communicate.

For property owners and managers, maintaining the elevator phone should therefore be considered part of normal elevator safety and preventative maintenance.

Test Elevator Emergency Phones Regularly

Routine elevator phone testing can identify communication problems before an entrapment occurs.

A proper test should confirm that the emergency button successfully places a call, two-way audio is clear, the receiving party can communicate with the passenger, and the elevator’s location can be identified.

Building owners and property managers should also verify that emergency calls are being routed to an appropriate staffed location.

Discovering that an elevator phone has stopped working during an inspection is inconvenient.

Discovering it while a passenger is trapped is much more serious.

Aging Copper Phone Lines Can Cause Communication Problems

Many existing elevators were originally connected to traditional copper telephone service, commonly known as POTS, or Plain Old Telephone Service.

These lines historically provided dependable analog telephone connectivity, which is why they became common for elevators, fire panels, gate systems, pool phones, and other building communication equipment.

Today, telecommunications networks are increasingly moving away from legacy copper infrastructure.

For building owners, that can mean higher monthly costs, aging infrastructure, limited repair options, and the need to consider alternative communication technologies.

Fortunately, upgrading an elevator’s communication service does not necessarily require replacing the elevator phone itself.

Cellular Service Can Replace the Traditional Elevator Phone Line

A cellular communication gateway can provide the connection needed by existing elevator phone equipment without relying on a traditional copper telephone line.

In many installations, the existing elevator emergency phone continues operating normally while the cellular gateway provides the communication path to the outside world.

This makes cellular elevator phone service a practical option for property owners who want to modernize their communication infrastructure while preserving working elevator equipment.

LiftCom Connect Provides Cellular Elevator Phone Service

LiftCom Services provides installation and support for LiftCom Connect, a cellular communication solution designed for elevator emergency phones and other building communication systems.

LiftCom Connect allows many existing elevator phones to continue operating while transitioning away from traditional copper phone service.

That can be especially useful for apartment communities, condominiums, hotels, senior living facilities, hospitals, parking structures, schools, government buildings, and commercial properties managing multiple emergency communication lines.

By converting appropriate elevator phone systems to cellular service, property managers can improve communication reliability while potentially reducing the recurring cost of maintaining traditional phone lines.

Elevator Entrapment Is Exactly When Communication Matters Most

An elevator entrapment is stressful enough without wondering whether the emergency phone will work.

Passengers should be able to press the emergency call button, speak with a real person, explain what is happening, and know that assistance is being arranged.

That is why dependable elevator emergency communication should never be treated as an afterthought.

Property managers and building owners should test their elevator phones regularly, address communication failures promptly, and consider replacing unreliable or increasingly expensive legacy phone service before it becomes a problem.

Need Help With Your Elevator Emergency Phone?

LiftCom Services helps California building owners and property managers maintain and upgrade elevator emergency communication systems.

If your building is experiencing unreliable phone service, an elevator communication failure, rising copper phone costs, or an upcoming elevator inspection, LiftCom Services can evaluate your existing system and determine whether LiftCom Connect is an appropriate solution.

If someone is trapped in an elevator right now, use the elevator emergency phone and contact emergency services when necessary.

If your goal is to make sure that emergency call works before someone ever needs it, contact LiftCom Services to schedule an elevator communication system evaluation.