ABSTRACT
Development of the passenger elevator in 1854 by Elisha Graves Otis in Yonkers, New York, made it possible for the creation of high-rise buildings. There are presently an estimated six hundred thousand elevators in the United States and 120 billion rides on elevators each year. A large number of fire and rescue personnel respond to emergencies on these elevators. The subject needs to be addressed throughout the fire service to better prepare those who are called to rescue someone out of an elevator during an emergency or disaster. Today elevators are present in most buildings two stories or higher throughout the United States and the rest of the world. Since firefighters respond to emergencies in all types of buildings, including people “trapped” in elevators, firefighters should have a good working knowledge of elevator operation. According to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ document ASME A17.1, an elevator is defined as “a hoisting and lowering mechanism, equipped with a car or platform, which moves in guide rails and serves two or more landings.” Generally, the purpose of elevators is to carry people and materials vertically from one floor in a building to another. Elevators in most jurisdictions are not part of the means of egress for emergency evacuation even though the codes do allow elevators for emergency use if certain conditions are present (figure 7.1). Firefighters and other emergency personnel may use elevators during emergencies by activating the fire service function of the elevator (figure 7.2). Elevator installation and maintenance is governed primarily by ASME A17.1, Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators, with references also in NFPA fire codes and model building codes for certain situations. Specifically, the International Building Code addresses elevators in several sections in the index for particular subject matter. NFPA 101, the Life Safety Code, under “Means of Egress,” “Features of Fire Protection,” and each of the occupancy chapters, contains elevator information. NFPA 13, the Sprinkler Code, covers sprinkler requirements; section 8, article 620 of NFPA 70, the National Electrical Code, lists electrical requirements for elevator installations; and section 3 of NFPA 72 cites fire alarm issues that apply to elevators.
