How to Escape a Stranded Elevator

There are few situations worse than being trapped in an elevator to elevate the pulse of anyone afraid of heights, confined spaces, or both. If you should ever find yourself lodged unfortunately between floors (or are currently reading this inside a stuck elevator), here is just about everything you should do to ensure a speedy escape. The thing to keep in mind is that, unless you find yourself in a life-or-death situation, the best thing to do is to call for help and wait for it. Many of your attempts to escape can actually lead you to more danger.

To learn how to escape a stranded elevator as safely as you can, please see below.

Step 1. Stay calm

As soon as you realize you're stranded, you may feel a natural urge to panic. However, you have to tell yourself to put mind over matter, and to stay as calm as possible. If you start panicking, your body will start to feel the effects, and you'll only be making it more difficult for yourself to think clearly.Take a deep breath and relax your body.

Step 2. Find a light source if the lights are out.

If the elevator is dark, you can create some light by using a key chain flash light or opening your cell phone . Try your best not to keep the device on for so long that battery power is drained. Creating light will help you see the buttons and get a better sense of your situation.

Step 3. Press the call button.

If it's dark, use the light source to find the call button. Then, press the call button to find help . This will alert maintenance personnel there is a problem with the elevator. This is the quickest and best way to get help.

Step 4. If there's no answer, try calling for help.

If there is no response to pressing the call button, check your cell phone for reception. If you have any reception, call your local emergency services number .

Step 5. Press the "door open" button.

Sometimes, this button can just get jammed, and if you press it, it'll open the elevator right up. You may be laughing, but you'd be surprised by how many people call for help to escape a stranded elevator only to find that they just have to press the "door open" button again.

Step 6. If you can't call for help, try to get the attention of the people outside the elevator.

If you've tried the call button or tried calling for help and have gotten no answer, then your next bet can be to try to shout or call for help. You can try to bang on the door of the elevator with shoes or other objects and yell to alert passersby. Depending on the sound transmittance of the door, tapping firmly with a key on the door may make a loud sound throughout the elevator shaft. Shouting can help alert people who are outside the elevator to your situation, but you should know that shouting or yelling excessively can also cause you to panic more, so make sure you try to stay reasonably calm when you are calling for help.

Step 7. Wait it out.

If you are not in an extreme life-or-death situation, just wait it out. In a best case scenario, people will notice the elevator is not working in minutes and you'll be out in no time. People frequently use the elevator and people in the building, especially building personnel, should quickly notice that something is off. Though shouting for help can also help, if it hasn't gotten you anywhere after a while, it's better to stop and wait than to use all of your energy.