What is an elevator recall button?
An elevator recall button is a trigger to send all elevator cabs to a predetermined or primary floor. Elevator shafts can quickly fill up with smoke, and recalling all elevators to a primary floor prevents people from using elevators in case of fire and gets all occupants quickly to a safe floor in case of a fire emergency. All elevators must be inspected and certified by trained fire alarm and elevator technicians, which include local elevator inspectors and the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) with the fire department.
Standards that govern elevator recall and fire alarm systems can be found in NFPA 13, 70, 72, and 101, as well as ASME A17.1. These standards provide more information, such as the type of smoke detectors that must be included in elevator shafts and the suppression equipment to be used.