AC-83-08-2 -- Elevators as a Means of Fire Escape PDF

This paper is the initial report of an ongoing project to investigate the use of elevators as a means of fire escape for the handicapped. The use of stairwells for fire evacuation poses a problem for people who cannot use stairs because of physical disabilities. This paper discusses some of the major problems associated with the use of elevators as a means of fire exit and proposes a conceptual solution to those problems. A report is made on field tests of four buildings with elevator protection systems. These protection systems and their interactions with other systems are examined.