In this article I’ll address one of the most common stalled elevator calls: when the car is stalled at or just above or below the landing. Note: Any other car position creates a more complex technical rescue event.
Planning Your First-Due
What types of elevators are in your district? How old are they? Are fire service operation controls installed? These questions are all part of the preplanning process for elevator calls. When you're preplanning your first-due area note the following information as well :
For elevators with fire service operation controls the location of keys and how to use them. Such controls also called "fireman's service" were installed for our protection yet many firefighters don't have a working knowledge of what protection they afford or how to use Them.
Locations of machine rooms and the keys to gain access to them. You’ll most likely need access to the machine room during an elevator incident.
24-hour contacts for local elevator service companies. Work with building management to post such information in the machine room; it should also be included on building preplans.
Training
The other key component of pre-incident preparation: training. Many jurisdictions don't conduct any initial or annual training on elevator rescue and as a result the fire service doesn't have a flawless track record when it comes to handling elevator incidents. Many occasions responding crews inflict excessive damage to the elevator—the result of not having proper training on the techniques to open hoistway and car doors.
I vividly remember an incident I responded to as a rookie firefighter more than 20 years ago. We didn't have the proper tools on scene to unlock the door so the incident commander (IC) ordered a company to open the doors with the Tool spreaders. Needless to say the elevator technician who arrived was not impressed with our actions.
Your crew should receive awareness-level and basic operations-level training. Awareness-level training will teach firefighters elevator components nomenclature and operating systems. Such training will also make crews aware of major hazards to responders including falls moving parts and electricity.
Basic operations-level training is more comprehensive and introduces firefighters to the mechanics of the rescue. When possible include elevator technicians in your operations-level training; they possess valuable knowledge and safety information. In addition if you have access to people with street experience in Elevator rescue train with and learn from them. There is no replacement for actual experience.
If you have a good rapport with your local locality and even poor relationships from previous interaction between the fire service and elevator industry personnel. If you have a good rapport with your local Elevator personnel work hard to keep it that way. After all emerging technology in the field of China Passenger Elevator requires continuing education on the part of the fire and rescue service.