What to do if you're stuck in an elevator

MARQUETTE — Elevators are a mechanism used by millions of people each day, but what happens when an elevator gets stuck with people inside?

For many people getting stuck inside of an elevator is a huge fear and throughout Marquette County in the past couples weeks, the Marquette City Fire Department has answered several calls on people stuck in elevators. The Marquette City Fire Department decided to help me out and show me how they get people who are stuck in elevators out safely.

While a normal reaction to being stuck in an elevator, could include a feeling of stress and even hyperventilating, the fire department wants you to know that you are safe.

“Don’t panic, sometimes there are phones in elevators so you can make a call and dispatch us other times it’ll set an alarm off so we know people are in there. Biggest thing is don’t panic if it stops, you are safe and it might just take us sometime to get out” said Marquette City Fire Department Lt. Greg Guertin.

Waiting in an elevator for the fire department to arrive can take longer than expected because of certain procedures that must be executed in order to properly open the doors.

“If we called in for an elevator rescue, our first job is were worried about the victims and the rescuers so we always shut the power down in the elevator right away, and sometimes that can take time because it could be up in a penthouse or it could be below grade so it takes a little time to get there and shut the power off” said Guertin.

Once the power is turned off, the closest floor to get the victims out is located and a key is used to open the doors. Being someone who is personally terrified of getting suck in elevators, I decided to face my fears head on and get intentionally stuck in an elevator. Right now I am waiting inside of an elevators while the Marquette City Fire Department gets me out safely.

After only a couple minutes of being in the elevator, the doors were unlocked and opened swiftly. The Marquette City Fire Department did stress to me that the most important thing to do when you’re stuck in an elevator is to remain calm and know that help is on the way.