A Falling Elevator

So you're standing in an elevator, listening to the Muzak and all of a sudden it comes to a grinding halt. The lights flicker and you grab the railings as you feel the car vibrating. You look at the help button in a panic as you realize there is an actual chance this thing could plummet!

Sorry, I am not trying to frighten anyone. My husband and I both have recurring dreams about elevators, and we are fascinated with them in general. That's why we recently chose to do the Floor 13 Elevator room [at Lockdown Red Deer escape rooms], partly because the adrenaline associated with the notion of being trapped in a dark elevator for an hour gives us a feeling of...

Survival Skills!

An elevator can fall at any given time, due to various mechanical issues. With our current automatic (button panel) elevators, there are two types: Traction ones (with cables and pulleys), often seen in very tall buildings. Freefalls in these would be very dangerous upon impact at the bottom. And the other type is Hydraulic, which is much like the jacks used to lift cars and these are used in smaller buildings, usually maxing out at 5 floors. A freefall in these is bad too, but safer than the former.

In both cases, it's best to use the same set of skills. First of all, do NOT try to do a 'timed jump' at impact, since the only thing that will do is put your thigh bones in your torso. If the real life elevator begins to plummet, drop anything in your arms (work stuff, groceries, etc.) and carefully but quickly lay face-down on the floor, using your folded arms to protect your face and the back of your head.

You may feel your body 'lifting' from the inertia. Don't tense up and don't fight this. If you have kids in the elevator with you, get them in proper position quickly and put your weight on top of them so they don't lift as much. Wrap yourself around to protect them.

If there are other adults in with you, sternly instruct them to do the same thing: get face down and protect head and face with folded arms. You will feel impact and may get minor facial injuries, but it's a small price to pay for still being alive when rescuers come.

*An alternative position would be to lie face up (to try and prevent facial trauma from the floor), but in many cases there could be falling debris, like the grill that protects the lights. Do whatever feels safest to you in the moment. Remember you only have a few seconds to get down.

Many apologies for the fear factors there. This is a fun, sweet blog and it's never intended to give people negative vibes. However, as an INFJ, it makes me a realist and I just want each and every one of you to be safe in case this ever happens. Many elevators have safety features built in that would help soften any potential impact.

Now book an appointment with Lockdown Red Deer (south location behind ABC Country Restaurant and next to Curves) for their Floor 13 Elevator room. If you like rocking thrill rides and the adrenaline rush of handling emergencies, then you won't be disappointed 😉