Elevator Emergency Operations Flashcards

Phase I Emergency Recall automatically sends all elevators to:

Answer: The designated recall floor (typically the lobby or ground floor)

Phase I recall moves all elevators to the designated recall level — usually the lobby or ground floor — and keeps them there with doors open. This prevents civilians from inadvertently riding elevators to a fire floor and makes elevators available for firefighter use.

Which event typically triggers an automatic Phase I elevator recall?

Answer: Activation of a smoke detector in an elevator lobby or machine room

Phase I recall is automatically triggered by smoke detectors located in elevator lobbies, hoistways, or the elevator machine room. This protects occupants from elevator doors opening on a smoke-filled floor.

Under Phase II firefighter service, the elevator can ONLY be operated by:

Answer: A firefighter physically inside the elevator cab using the Phase II key switch

Phase II places full control of the elevator inside the cab, operated by a firefighter using the special key switch. This allows firefighters to override normal controls, hold doors open, and travel directly to any floor — including the fire floor.

During a fire in a high-rise building, occupants should be instructed to:

Answer: Avoid using elevators entirely and use enclosed stairwells for evacuation

Elevators must NEVER be used by occupants during a fire. Elevator shafts can fill with smoke, power may fail trapping occupants, and Phase I recall may strand an elevator at an unexpected floor. Enclosed stairwells are the designated means of egress.

A smoke detector activates on the 15th floor. The building has elevators that serve floors 1–20. What happens to an elevator that was traveling toward the 15th floor when Phase I recall activates?

Answer: It bypasses the 15th floor and proceeds directly to the recall floor without stopping

When Phase I activates and a detector on a specific floor has triggered the recall, elevators are programmed to bypass that floor entirely and travel non-stop to the recall level. This prevents doors from opening on the potentially smoke-filled fire floor.

The Phase I key switch in the elevator lobby allows building personnel to:

Answer: Manually initiate or cancel the Phase I recall of all elevators

The lobby Phase I key switch gives authorized personnel (such as the Fire Safety Director) the ability to manually initiate a recall if the automatic system has not yet activated, or to return elevators to normal service once the emergency has been resolved and FDNY authorizes it.