atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information Elevator phone question

Ours are on a dedicated line which goes to the monitoring company. They are tested quarterly.

Most states are following the ANSI code A17 for elevators and escalators. This code allows either POTS or PBX lines to be used. The phone MUST dial a number that is staffed 24/7. Some jurisdictions require the phone to call the local fire department. If the phone is ADA type, which is required under ANSI, it CANNOT dial 911 as that is a violation of FCC rules.

Some jurisdictions will tell you that they want it to call 911 anyway so the building info comes up on their screen. At that point I have it dial 911 since I'm more likely to be having arguements with a local inspector than I am with the FCC over where a phone dials to.

Len, regarding your elevator phones growing legs... half of the elevators that I have connected have a built in phone (air holes drilled in the metal for voice path) and a built in flush mount button, so that stealing it would require taking off the entire panel and then the security casing around the electronics.

You should talk to the elevator company and see if they offer any built in products. The fact that the phones disappear shouldn't stop them from finding a solution to the safety issue.

I have had people request 911 as the destination, but we always suggest a monitoring company.

In our hospital and others I've worked in, the phone goes to the switchboard and then the operator relays it to maintenence in the day or security guard at night. Other hospitals I've worked in use a PBX line. Never seen a POTS line in a hospital but that is just my experience.