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Elevator Release and Rescue
In the past 10 years with Truck Company No. 3, we have had the opportunity for the release of many different types of elevators. We have gained the street knowledge and have been very successful in our efforts, too, not to damage the elevators. We have developed our own procedures and make shift tools to help us.
Back in 1998, we came across the "Elevator Restrictors" which the city required when it passed an ordinance to equip all elevators in high-rises with this safety device. The purpose of the restrictors is to keep the hoistway door from being opened from the inside when the elevator is above or below the landing zone for safety to the occupants. With so many different elevator companies, there are different types of restrictors that you will come across.
In the early days of the fire department, it was recommended to go to the elevator room and turn off the power. But now, with the computers running them, unless you are knowledgeable in the operations, forget it.
We have adopted the following guidelines to help us at "release the elevator" incidents:
Upon arrival at the incident, communicate with the building manager or a reputable person on the location of the stuck car and estimated time for arrival of the elevator repairman.
Locate the car on the floor.
Establish verbal contact with the occupants of the car.
If a lunar keyhole is on the door, open the landing door and check the location of the car or use an elevator car on either side to locate the car by looking between the opening into the shaft.
Ask occupants to make sure the car door is closed and radio the lobby man to place the elevators in Phase I mode to see if the car moves to the lobby. If there is no movement, go to landing rescue operations.
LANDING RESCUES
If the hoistway car is located below the landing and it is possible to remove the people thru the car doors:
Open landing doors either by lunar keyhole or by using a 8'-10' pike pole to release the interlock.
If force is the last resort, use two bars at the top of the doors to pop the interlock, a small duckbill port-a-power or boss tool
Turn power at top of car off.
Locate the restrictor device.
Turn the door-operations wheel about a quarter turn. This will start the doors to open, and by grabbing the doors with your hand, you can complete opening them .
Use a small chair or step ladder, along with a fireman, to assist in removal of the passengers.
If the hoist-way car is located above the landing and it is possible to remove the people through the car doors:
Leave firefighters on the floor and send two firefighters to the floor above.
Open the landing door.
A firefighter must get on top of car (power off) and locate the restrictor pin.
Turn the door wheel to open car door.
The two firefighters on the landing will assist in the removal of the people.
NOTE: Safety precautions must be in place due to the location of the car above the landing zone — a ladder or door across the open shaft is needed.
RESCUE BETWEEN FLOORS
If the car is stuck between floors and the only way out is through the roof hatchway, the scenario will be the same as when the hoistway car is above the landing (see above). Rescue with the use of a collapsible ladder: one firefighter in the car, one firefighter on top of the car, and two firefighters at the landing doorway above, all to assist in removal of occupants. Use of a lifeline for safety is a must when working on top of a car.
RESCUES IN BLIND SHAFTS
A elevator blind shaft is one in which a car runs non-stop from point A to point B with no stops or openings between. Rescure operations in this situation require the assistance of an elevator repairman who has the knowledge to either lower or raise the hoistway car to an accessible floor to release the people.
In one incident involving Truck No. 3, firefighters rode the car next to the stuck one and had to remove the occupant through the top and bring him to the next accessible landing floor.
Another incident in which the car did not move at all and the building engineers had located the car for us, we had to remove two walls (2x4 drywall), force open the old wooden hoistway doors and cut through a heavy metal skin on the shaft in order to release the occupants, two females: one pregnant and the other a lawyer scared of heights.
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