What To Do When You Re Trapped In A Lift

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It is one of the biggest fears in the world – getting trapped in an lift, be it alone or with a group of people. Lifts or elevators, as convenient as they are to our lives, can trigger claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces) and agoraphobia (fear of situations that make one feel trapped). And it could only get worse if you find yourself trapped.
According to Malaysia International Search and Rescue (MISAR) chairman and safety activist K. Balasupramaniam, elevators running on newer technology rarely breaks down or stop between floors, unless they are poorly maintained, are vandalised or misused.
Read: Ladies, Are You Making These Common Safety Mistakes?
“Some older models do give such problems in the event of power failure, but today these elevators are equipped with back-up generators to navigate the cabin to the lower ground. However events such as earthquakes and explosions could keep the units between floors,” he says. Nevertheless, Bala advises that you should not lose your cool in such a situation.
“Be calm. You don’t have to shout for help. Ring the alarm. You may also use your shoes, belt buckle, or even the tip of a pen and coins to knock on the elevator doors so that people could hear you from the outside,” he explains.

Bala shared an instance where he was part of a response team attending to a group of people stuck in a lift at a prominent building in Kuala Lumpur. He communicated with those trapped from the control room in the guard house, and tried to keep them calm until help arrived.
“I asked those wearing thick suits and neckties to take them off, and those carrying heavy bags, to put them down,” he shares. “I also asked for those who had some food or drinks in their bags to share them with the others. It was a long operation and I needed them to stay calm the entire time,” Bala adds.
If you ever find yourself in such situation, Bala asks you to remember STOP: Stay calm. Try to call for help using the emergency button in the lift. Offer help to the people inside. Pay attention to those who need medical aid.
Here are some tips to remember in the event of such emergency:
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