Elevator Safety Campaign Says If You're Stuck, Stay Put

New York City's Department of Buildings is releasing an elevator safety campaign this week to raise awareness for New Yorkers on the safest way to react upon getting stuck in an elevator. The campaign is called, "Stay Safe. Stay Put."

The campaign is meant to help New Yorkers avoid deaths and injuries in elevators by letting them know they should wait for help instead of trying to climb out of an overcrowded elevator car. "Elevators are among the very safest forms of transportation, but New Yorkers have been seriously injured trying to escape stalled elevators," the statement from the Department of Buildings said.

There are more than 71,000 elevators in New York City. Injuries sustained in elevators have decreased from 105 in 2007 to 51 last year, according to the Department of Buildings. Last year, however, two men died in separate incidents trying to escape an elevator car. On Oct. 5, 2015, a man died trying to escape an elevator car that stalled due to overloading at 156 Hope Street in Brooklyn. And on New Year’s Eve last year, another man was killed trying to save a woman at 131 Broome Street in Manhattan.

"New York's elevators make billions of safe trips a year, so they're one of the safest forms of transportation – but you still need to use common sense. Don't overload elevators and if you get stuck, don't panic. Ring the alarm, relax, and wait for help to arrive," said Buildings Commissioner Rick Chandler.

If you get stuck in an elevator, ring the alarm, stand towards the middle of the car, and stay calm. Don't pry open the doors, shake the floor, or jump up and down, Chandler told the New York Daily News. And don't worry about the car dropping suddenly, Tower of Terror style, Chandler said. He's never heard of that happening.

Additional Tips for Elevator Safety from the NYC Department of Buildings:

· Look down and make sure the elevator is level with the floor while entering and exiting.
· Do not exit the elevator if it stops more than 9 inches from the landing.
· Press the “door open” button to hold elevator doors open instead of using any part of your body.
· Never lean on elevator doors.
· Keep clothing items like ties and scarves clear of closing elevator doors.
· Be patient and don’t crowd the elevator. Too many people crowded into elevators can cause it to get stuck.
· Don’t jump in elevators — jumping can make an elevator uneven with the floor. You can also get stuck.

Image from NYC Department of Buildings Ad Campaign