The Importance of 24/7 Emergency Elevator Service

Emergencies Don't Follow Business Hours

It's 11:30 PM on a Friday night. A resident in your condo is trapped between floors. The lobby phone is ringing. Panicked tenants are calling you. What do you do?

If your elevator service company doesn't offer 24/7 emergency response, you're in serious trouble. And you're not alone—this scenario plays out in South Florida buildings more often than you'd think.

Why 24/7 Service Is Non-Negotiable

Entrapments Can Happen Anytime

Elevator entrapments—where passengers become stuck in the cab—are the most urgent type of elevator emergency. They can happen during rush hour or in the middle of the night. Every minute a person is trapped feels like an eternity, and in South Florida's heat, a non-ventilated elevator cab can become dangerously hot within 30 minutes.

Florida Code Requires It

Florida's elevator safety codes require that all passenger elevators have a functioning emergency communication system connected to a 24/7 monitoring service. But communication alone isn't enough—you need a technician who can physically respond and resolve the situation.

Liability Is Real

If someone is injured during an elevator emergency and your building doesn't have adequate emergency service coverage, you could face significant legal liability. Courts look at whether building owners took "reasonable steps" to ensure occupant safety, including having responsive emergency service.

What True 24/7 Service Looks Like

Not all "24/7 service" claims are equal. Here's what to look for in a genuine emergency service provider:

Guaranteed Response Times

A real 24/7 provider commits to specific response times in writing. At BROUSS Elevators, we guarantee response in under 2 hours—day or night, weekends and holidays included. Many of our emergency responses happen much faster.

Local Technicians

Response time depends on proximity. A company with technicians based in South Florida will always respond faster than one dispatching from hours away. BROUSS is headquartered in Hialeah, with technicians positioned throughout Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties.

Answering Service vs. Direct Contact

Some companies route after-hours calls through generic answering services that then try to reach on-call technicians. The best providers offer direct communication with dispatchers who can immediately deploy the right technician.

No Hidden Emergency Fees

Some companies charge exorbitant "emergency" or "after-hours" premiums. A reputable provider will be transparent about emergency call pricing and include emergency coverage in their maintenance contracts.

The Cost of Slow Response

Every hour your elevator is out of service costs money:

• Tenant inconvenience: Residents in high-rise buildings may be unable to reach their homes
• Business disruption: Commercial tenants lose revenue when customers and employees can't access upper floors
• Medical risk: Elderly or disabled individuals may be stranded without elevator access
• Property damage: Some elevator malfunctions can cause secondary damage if not addressed quickly
• Reputation damage: Word spreads fast when a building can't keep its elevator running

How to Evaluate Your Current Emergency Coverage

Ask yourself these questions about your current elevator service provider:

• Can I reach them at 2 AM on a Sunday?
• Do they guarantee a response time in writing?
• Have I tested their emergency line recently?
• Do they have technicians based locally in South Florida?
• Is emergency service included in my maintenance contract?

If you answered "no" or "I don't know" to any of these, it may be time to reconsider your service provider.

BROUSS: Always On Call

At BROUSS Elevators, emergency service isn't an add-on—it's core to what we do. Our technicians live and work in South Florida, and our dispatch team is available around the clock.

Program our number into your phone now: 786.308.9128. When the call comes at midnight, you'll be glad you did.