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Firefighters' Emergency Operation shall apply to all automatic elevators except where the hoistway or a portion thereof is not required to be fire-resistive construction (see 2.1.1.1), the rise does not exceed 2000 mm (80 in.), and the hoistway does not penetrate a floor.
NOTE (2.27.3): When the structure (building, etc.) is located in a flood hazard area, the alternate and designated levels (see 8.12.1) should be above the base flood elevation.
2.27.3.1 Phase I Emergency Recall Operation
2.27.3.1.1
A three-position key-operated switch that will not change position without a deliberate action by the user, shall be
(a) provided only at the designated level for each single elevator or for each group of elevators.
(b) labeled "FIRE RECALL" and its positions marked "RESET," "OFF," and "ON" (in that order), with the "OFF" position as the center position. The "FIRE RECALL" letters shall be a minimum of 5 mm (0.25 in.) high. Text shall be either red on a background that contrasts with red, or a color that contrasts with red on a red background.
(c) located in the lobby within sight of the elevator or all elevators in that group and shall be readily accessible.
2.27.3.1.2
An additional key-operated fire recall switch, with two positions that will not change position without a deliberate action by the user, marked "OFF" and "ON" (in that order), shall be permitted. It shall be labeled "FIRE RECALL" and identify the elevator(s) it controls.
NOTE (2.27.3.1.2): The building code or fire authority may require this switch to be at a specific location.
2.27.3.1.3
The switch(es) shall be rotated clockwise to go from the "RESET" position (designated level switch only), to the "OFF" position to the "ON" position. Keys shall be removable only in the "OFF" and "ON" positions.
2.27.3.1.4
Only the fire recall switch(es) or fire alarm initiating device located at floors that are served by the elevator, in the hoistway, in an elevator machine room, in a control space, or in a control room (see 2.27.3.2) shall initiate Phase I Emergency Recall Operation.
2.27.3.1.5
All fire recall switches shall be provided with an illuminated visual signal to indicate when Phase I Emergency Recall Operation is in effect.
2.27.3.1.6
When a fire recall switch is in the "ON" position, all cars controlled by the switch shall operate as follows:
(a) A car traveling toward the designated level shall continue nonstop to the designated level and power-operated doors shall open and remain open. On cars with more than one entrance, if the doors for another entrance can be opened at the designated level, only the doors serving the lobby where the fire recall switch is located shall automatically open and remain open. Once at the designated level, all in-car door open button(s) shall be operative. Once the doors at an entrance other than the entrance serving the lobby where the fire recall switch is located are opened by means of an in-car door open button, they shall initiate reclosing within 15 s of reaching the normal open position.
(b) A car traveling away from the designated level shall reverse at or before the next available landing without opening its doors and proceed to the designated level.
(c) When provided, the in-car stop switch (see 2.26.2.21) or the emergency stop switch in the car (see 2.26.2.5) shall not be made ineffective.
(d) A car standing at a landing other than the designated level with the in-car stop switch and the emergency stop switch in the car, when provided, in the "RUN" position shall proceed to the designated level if the doors are closed, or shall conform to the following if the doors are not closed:
(1) Elevators having automatic power-operated horizontally sliding doors shall close the doors without delay and proceed to the designated level.
(2) Elevators having power-operated vertically sliding doors provided with automatic or momentary-pressure closing operation shall have the closing sequence initiated without delay in accordance with 2.13.3.4, and the car shall proceed to the designated level.
(3) Elevators having power-operated doors provided with continuous-pressure closing operation (see 2.13.3.2), or elevators having manual doors, shall be provided with a visual and audible signal system [see (h)] to alert an operator to close the doors and shall, when the doors are closed, proceed to the designated level. Sequence operation, if provided, shall remain effective.
(e) Door reopening devices for power-operated doors that are sensitive to smoke or flame shall be rendered inoperative without delay. Door reopening devices not sensitive to smoke or flame (e.g., mechanically actuated devices) are permitted to remain operative.
(1) Door closing for power-operated horizontally sliding doors shall conform to 2.13.5.
(2) Door closing for power-operated vertically sliding doors shall conform to 2.13.6.1.2 and shall have an average closing car door or gate speed not to exceed 0.20 m/s (0.67 ft/s).
(f) Floor Selection Means, Lanterns, and Indicators
(1) In the car
(-a) floor selection means shall be rendered inoperative
(-b) car call-registered lights and car lanterns, where provided, shall be extinguished and remain inoperative
(-c) position indicators and car-direction indicators, where provided, shall remain operative
(2) At the fire command center, position indicators and car-direction indicators, where provided, shall remain operative.
(3) At the designated level
(-a) hall call-registered lights and hall lanterns, where provided, shall be extinguished and remain inoperative
(-b) position indicators and car-direction indicators, where provided, shall remain operative
(4) At all landings, except at the designated level
(-a) hall call-registered lights and hall lanterns, where provided, shall be extinguished and remain inoperative
(-b) position indicators and car-direction indicators, where provided, shall be extinguished and remain inoperative
NOTE [2.27.3.1.6(f)(2)]: In jurisdictions enforcing the NBCC, the Fire Command Center (FCC) is known as the Central Alarm and Control Facility (CACF).
(g) Where provided on elevators with vertically sliding doors, corridor door open and door close buttons shall remain operative.
(h) Visual and Audible Signals
(1) The visual signal shall
(-a) be one of the symbols shown in Figure 2.27.3.1.6 and located on the car operating panel.
(-b) illuminate the entire circular or square area or the outline of the hat, or the outline of the area shown in Figure 2.27.3.1.6.
(-c) activate and remain illuminated until the car is restored to automatic operation.
(2) The audible signal shall
(-a) sound when the doors are open and the car is away from the recall level.
(-b) sound for a minimum of 5 s when the doors are in the fully closed position and the car is away from the recall level.
(-c) be silent when the car is at the recall level.
(3) At all landings, except at the designated level
(-a) hall call-registered lights and hall lanterns, where provided, shall be extinguished and remain inoperative
(-b) position indicators and car-direction indicators, where provided, shall be extinguished and remain inoperative
(i) A car stopped at a landing shall have the in-car door open button(s) rendered inoperative as soon as the car moves away from the landing. The in-car door open button(s) shall remain inoperative when a car stops to reverse direction. Once the in-car door open button(s) has been rendered inoperative, it shall remain inoperative until the car has returned to the designated level.
(j) When recalled to the alternate level (see 2.27.3.2.4) and the fire recall switch (see 2.27.3.1.1) is rotated to the "ON" position, the elevator shall recall to the designated level, except where an additional two-position fire recall switch (see 2.27.3.1.2) is provided, both fire recall switches shall be in the "ON" position to recall the elevator to the designated level.
(k) To remove the elevator(s) from Phase I Emergency Recall Operation, the fire recall switch shall be rotated first to the "RESET" position, and then to the "OFF" position, provided that
(1) the additional two-position fire recall switch and car fire recall switch(es) (see 2.27.11.1.2), where provided, are in the "OFF" position
(2) no fire alarm initiating device is activated (see 2.27.3.2)
(l) Means used to remove elevators from normal operation shall not prevent Phase I Emergency Recall Operation, except
(1) as specified in this Code
(2) as controlled by elevator personnel
(m) No device that measures load shall prevent operation of the elevator at or below the capacity and loading required in Section 2.16.
(n) If the normal power supply, emergency power supply, and standby power supply are not available and the elevator is equipped with an alternate source of power that can move the car to a floor but is insufficient to move the car to the recall level, the following requirements shall apply:
(1) The visual signal [see (h)] shall extinguish.
(2) A car that is not at a landing shall move to the closest landing it is capable of reaching.
(3) A car that has automatic power-operated horizontally sliding doors or power-operated vertically sliding doors provided with automatic closing operation and is stopped at a landing shall open the doors, and then within 15 s, initiate reclosing.
(4) A car that is stopped at a landing shall have its door open button operative.
(5) A car stopped at a landing shall not move until normal power, emergency power, or standby power becomes available.
Figure 2.27.3.1.6 Visual Signal
2.27.3.2 Phase I Emergency Recall Operation by Fire Alarm Initiating Devices
2.27.3.2.1
In jurisdictions not enforcing the NBCC, smoke detectors or other automatic fire detectors in environments not suitable for smoke detectors (fire alarm initiating devices) used to initiate Phase I Emergency Recall Operation shall be installed in conformance with the requirements of NFPA 72 and shall be located
(a) at each elevator lobby served by the elevator
(b) in the associated elevator machine room, a machinery space containing a motor controller or driving machine, a control space, or a control room
(c) in the elevator hoistway, when sprinklers are located in those hoistways
NOTE [2.27.3.2.1(b)]: A machinery space containing a motor controller or driving machine located in the elevator hoistway or a control space located in the elevator hoistway requires a fire alarm initiating device regardless of the presence of sprinklers.
2.27.3.2.2
In jurisdictions enforcing the NBCC, smoke detectors, or heat detectors in environments not suitable for smoke detectors (fire alarm initiating devices), used to initiate Phase I Emergency Recall Operation shall be installed in conformance with the requirements of the NBCC and shall be located
(a) at each elevator lobby served by the elevator
(b) in the associated elevator machine room, a machinery space containing a motor controller or driving machine, a control space, or a control room
(c) in the elevator hoistway, when sprinklers are located in those hoistways
NOTES:
  1. 2.27.3.2.2: Smoke and heat detectors (fire alarm initiating devices) are referred to as "fire detectors" in the NBCC. Pull stations are not deemed to be fire detectors.
  2. 2.27.3.2.2(b): A machinery space containing a motor controller or driving machine located in the elevator hoistway or a control space located in the elevator hoistway requires a fire alarm initiating device regardless of the presence of sprinklers.
2.27.3.2.3
Phase I Emergency Recall Operation to the designated level shall conform to the following:
(a) The activation of a fire alarm initiating device specified in 2.27.3.2.1(a) or 2.27.3.2.2(a) at any floor, other than at the designated level, shall cause all elevators that serve that lobby, and any associated elevator of a group automatic operation, to be returned nonstop to the designated level.
(b) The activation of a fire alarm initiating device specified in 2.27.3.2.1(b) or 2.27.3.2.2(b) shall cause all elevators having any equipment located in that room or space, and any associated elevators of a group automatic operation, to be returned nonstop to the designated level. If the machine room is located at the designated level, the elevator(s) shall be returned nonstop to the alternate level.
(c) In jurisdictions not enforcing the NBCC, the activation of a fire alarm initiating device specified in 2.27.3.2.1(c) shall cause all elevators having any equipment in that hoistway, and any associated elevators of a group automatic operation, to be returned nonstop to the designated level, except that initiating device(s) installed at or below the lowest landing of recall shall cause the car to be sent to the upper recall level.
(d) In jurisdictions enforcing the NBCC, the initiation of a fire detector in the hoistway shall cause all elevators having any equipment in that hoistway, and any associated elevators of a group automatic operation, to be returned nonstop to the designated level, except that initiating device(s) installed at or below the lowest landing of recall shall cause the car to be sent to the upper recall level.
(e) The Phase I Emergency Recall Operation to the designated level shall conform to 2.27.3.1.6(a) through 2.27.3.1.6(n).
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