Person reportedly trapped in elevator at 400 Towers

Oh NO! Where's Bea??

According to her Facebook update, it seems that Bea would have been unavailable to give us updates, she was stuck in an elevator.
:-P

Update: 12:40am
Justin, you are a tattletale. lol
Yes, it was me.
The whole story in a nutshell.
I left the building around 10:10 to grab something for a late supper.
A quick trip to a drive thru and headed for the apartment.
Got into the elevator, hit the button for the 6th floor and somewhere between the 2nd and 3rd. floor the elevator stopped dead.
I pushed all the buttons and discovered that none of them worked. So, I tried the emergency call button. The first time, I got a recording. The second time I got a guy who really wasn't the least bit interested in finding out where I was. The third time was the charm. A very nice guy, who found himself speaking to my alter ego - a very professional and dripping with authority (sort of like Tom Hanks in "You've Got Mail" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7eMH8QoMZk ).
"I am at 400 Towers, west wing elevator somewhere between the 2nd and 3rd. floor. Please do not disconnect this call until you can tell me that you have reached help and that they are on their way. I'll expect periodic updates on their ETA and status for my rescue."
He not only kept the call connected, but irony of irony, played a version of elevator music while he was trying to contact the right people. He did come back to tell me that help was on the way.
So what do you do while stalled in an elevator?
I considered eating my supper, but thought better.
I checked my pockets to see if I had my cell. I didn't.
I didn't even have a purse...just pushed some money into my coat pocket and headed out. After all, I didn't plan on being out long.
So, I had a little while to think. I have a habit of humming when I think. Generally it is whatever tune happens to be running through my head at the time, this time it was White Christmas since the movie was on when I left.
I didn't even have paper and pen to make notes. I did plan my Tuesday, in my head - mentally erasing and making corrections.
I heard a knock from somewhere and someone asking if I was okay. I was.
Some bumping and clanging and a few more words back and forth and the door opened. Two firemen were standing on the second floor, about 5 ft. below me and I could see other firemen peering down at me from the 3rd. floor.
George, our maintenance man, brought a step ladder and I was back on solid ground. I thanked them, got on the other elevator and went home.
It was a first for me. My knights in shining armor were the firemen and that voice at the other end of the emergency call button.
So that's the story. Not very exciting. I did get to have my dinner and even watched the rest of White Christmas.
:)
Thank you for your concern.

So glad you're okay, Bea.

Sounds like the Tower manager needs to review who he has for the emergency phone service. There may not be time for 3 calls in the future.

Bea, glad to hear you are ok, and I thought that stuff only happened in the movies :>) you know! The knight in shinning armor coming to your rescue thing.

Thanks, Tami.

John, I'm sure it was just a fluke. Just a dose of drama to add to the event.

Ron, the one thing they don't portray in a movie is how long 45 minutes can be. For a fleeting moment, I'll admit to thinking that this would be a strange way to end. Even though I know elevators have safety features, I imagined that it could plunge down and tried to calculate how hard a drop of two stories would be.

Howard, thanks :)

Much later, and after I had an opportunity to put it in perspective, I questioned my ability to stay calm and patience (not one of my strong suits). If I were to write a script, I think I'd add people to the elevator. Far more interesting to share the experience.

Gosh...I was only kidding....had NO IDEA it would actually be Bea!!
I am glad you are OK and thanks for sharing the story!!

Clarification:
I found out today that the second call was disconnected due to technical difficulties. So, that gentleman on the other end of the line was not to blame.

Hehehehe-happened to me in the east tower earlier this year after I visited my mom-I thought it was strange when door shut and at beginning of descent there was a slight shudder-then it came to a stop between the first and second floor I think.I also had to press the call button twice to get connected-as far as cell phone-good luck-mine kept cutting out when trying to make a call.I think I was stranded around 20 minutes.

Oh my goodness Bea! I don't know if I could have remained as calm as you. I'd probably be opting for the stairs the next time! LOL

Remember Carr's elevator? I was just a youngster, but it always frightened me (just a "teeny" bit.) And yet it was so fun (and pre-historic.)

Glad you alright and that you were able to enjoy your dinner. I'm sure you had to warm it up after all that!

Got stuck in an elevator at LAX twice a year apart. I don't take elevators at LAX anymore, just stairs an escalators now.

Jeremiah and Bob,
Friends have shared their own experiences all day. I consider myself lucky that it was just a minor inconvenience rather than an event that changed my plans (ie: making a connection), etc.
Since we are all still here to tell the tales, it is a credit to the design of elevators and (gasp, dare I say it), the regulations in place that keep them safe.
I think I read that the last real elevator failure was in 1945 at the Empire State Building and it wasn't actually the fault of the elevator but because the building was hit by a plane.
Never forget, riding an elevator will always have it's ups and downs.