What are the key holes on an elevator for? Is there a universal key that all firemen carry?

Question

Have you ever been on an elevator and wondered what all those key holes were for? I saw that there was a key slot for a fireman to use, does that mean there is a universal key for a firemant to use? What do you guys think?

Answer 1

Hi - I worked in the fire trade for a big company that owned Chubb Fire and also Otis Lifts.

All modern elevators are required to have a fireman's switch. You will also see fireman's switches on other things like smoke extracts, sprinkler systems, fire alarm panels, etc., if you look close enough in the lobby areas of big buildings or company's when you go in there next.

Firemen do not have a universal key for all of these (although that would be a very good idea - it would be open to vandalism) but the key would be available at a critical point within the building when the firemen attend an incident. Typically this would be reception or the security area.

Answer 2

It is not a key as such. There is a slot in the door that allows access to the catch which stops the doors from being forced open. The firemen put a level in there and lift the catch. This lets them pull the doors open

Answer 3

I work at a hotel. There is a key for the elevator. It allows us to turn it off, or bring it the lobby floor immediately, or turn it off with the doors open (if we're cleaning it). I don't know however if the firemen have the key too. sorry

Answer 4

The one the fireman carry is called a fire ax. It works on most any door.

Answer 5

security use them to keep the lift available for emergency stuff like that