What to Do If You Get Stuck in an Elevator
Being in a closed elevator is the worst nightmare for everyone. You hang stories above the ground and your only lifeline is the emergency call button in front of you.
Over the weekend, a New York woman experienced this very real scenario when she was found locked in a townhouse elevator all weekend. The elevator was recently inspected and had no visible problems, according to the New York Times .
And this happens more often than we think: a 2010 study by IBM found that office workers in 16 major cities were stuck in elevators for a total of 33 (!) Years that year, and 22 percent of them waited more than 10 minutes before. I get out.
In my sixth-floor apartment building, there were problems with the elevator, which caused people to be delayed almost every week. This was corrected over time, but I’m used to the sounds of agitated screams from people in the hallway.
So what should you do with this horror movie in the making? Here are some tips on how to get out of a difficult situation when you are stuck in an elevator.
Calm down
This 2008 New Yorker story captures exactly what it’s like to be trapped in an elevator. The story details the experience of Nicholas White, a former Business Week production manager, who was stuck in an office elevator for 41 hours.
When the emergency bell rang and rang, he began to fear that it could be in some way – electricity? friction? heat? – light a fire. Recently, there was a small fire in the building, which made the elevators unusable. Business Week employees walked forty-three floors. He also began to hear an unlikely ringing ring: auditory hallucinations. He soon began to reflect on death.
It goes without saying, but I’ll tell you anyway. When you’re stuck in a small space, it’s very easy to go into fight-or-flight mode. Remain calm and focus on the task at hand. Getting excited earlier won’t help you get out of the elevator.
Use the emergency phone
In theory, every elevator should have an emergency telephone that usually connects to the building security or elevator company (otherwise, some elevators just have an emergency button). Use the phone to find a suitable group, and be sure to give your name, the address of the building you are in, and inform them of the problem.
Don’t jump and open doors
Like any other non-standard tool in your life, it is tempting to nudge the elevator a little to get it working again. This is why you shouldn’t do this: trying to move the elevator yourself can only make the problem worse. If you are high above the ground, you risk falling out of the door. Several people also died while trying to open the doors (which triggered a mechanism that allowed the elevators to work again).
Don’t try to escape through the hatch
Movies make this easy, but usually not. Most modern elevators no longer have an escape hatch in the ceiling, and if they do, they are locked from the outside. If you somehow manage to get through the hatch, if the elevator is suddenly triggered, you will also find yourself in much greater danger outside the elevator than inside.
Know you won’t fall free
A common misconception is that lifts are held on a single rope or other narrow mechanism. Do not worry about it. Most lifts have bumper bars, so free fall is nearly impossible (if you’re still worried, the trick to survive free fall is to distribute your weight and lie in the middle of the floor).
Call 911
If no help arrives and no one answers your call, call 911 on your mobile phone, provided that you have one with you and have a reception. Firefighters are more likely to respond faster than an elevator company, especially if you are in dire straits. And as mentioned above, stay calm. They are equipped with everything you need to cope with these emergencies, so try to distract yourself while you are constrained (and breathe in and out).