It’s Alarming…

By John M. Stofa ©2013

 

We have all seen it, the “button” that is inside and outside an elevator cab that looks like a firefighter’s helmet.  But what does it do?  Many people are under the false impression that it is a button that you can use to call the fire department in the event that you get stuck inside the cab and need help.  Many have no idea what it is.  What is alarming to me is the amount of firefighters who have no idea what that button does, when they are the very people that it was designed for!

Actually, it is not a button at all. It is an indicator light that is meant to show the fire department that the elevator is in recall mode or fire service mode.  What does that mean? Simply put:

Fire Recall Mode – This means that a smoke detector mounted in front of the elevator doors on each level that the elevator serves has gone into alarm.  Because the smoke or fire may be very close to the elevator cab, the elevator goes into “Recall” mode and automatically returns the cab to the Ground Floor (Primary Recall Floor) and the elevator doors open and stay open.  Once they open, the elevator is “parked” and it may not be used until it is released from Recall Mode with a key.  If the Ground Floor smoke detector is the one that went into alarm, then the elevator cab would stop at the next logical floor such as the Basement or Second Floor, thus not opening the doors to the elevator on the floor that may contain smoke.  This is called the “Alternate Floor” or “Secondary Recall Floor”.  During this mode, the “Fire Hat” symbol will be lit solid as an indication of Fire Recall Mode.

Fire Service Mode – This is a unique operation of the elevator that allows it to be used by fire department responders.  The FD has a special key that they are able to use to gain access to the elevator so they can quickly move firefighters and equipment to the floor below the fire and set up firefighting operations. 

Once arriving at the scene, firefighters will use their key to either recall the elevators to the Lobby if they are not recalled already, or they will take over the parked elevator cabs.  Using their key inside the cab, the firefighters will place the cab into “Manual Service Mode”. This means that all functions in the cab will work, but the operator must push and hold the desired function such as closing the doors to the elevator. Simply pushing the “close door button” is not enough to activate it; it must be pushed and held until the doors are closed as an example.

The second phase of the Fire Recall Mode activates as the smoke condition worsens.  If the smoke should spread to the Elevator Machine Room or in some cases the Elevator Shaft, detectors within will activate and the Fire Hat will begin to flash.  This is the indication to the FD that it is time to abandon the elevator for its safety is compromised and unexpected or undesired actions by the elevator cab may occur.

Finally, in some areas the system could have a heat detector mounted in the Elevator Machine Room.  This heat detector is special in that if it is activated by heat from the fire, power will automatically be shut off to the elevator and the cab will stop and power down immediately wherever it is.  Therefore, it is imperative that firefighters remove themselves from the cab immediately when the fire hat symbol begins to flash to avoid entrapment. 

 

Solid-Lit Fire Helmet Elevator is in Fire Recall or Fire Service Mode Flashing Fire Helmet The Elevator Shaft or Elevator Machine Room may have smoke or fire within it.

In conclusion, elevators in the near future will be enhanced for survivability and built to withstand adverse conditions to allow them to be used as part of the building’s evacuation plan during a fire; but for now it is imperative that all emergency responders know about Fire Recall Mode and the warning indicators provided to us.