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Elevator Recall Testing and Certification | Firemax Fire Protection

Fire Alarm Systems · Integration and Life Safety Interface

Elevator Recall
Testing and Certification

Fire alarm to elevator recall interface testing and certification across South Florida. Phase I and Phase II recall verification. ASME A17.1 and NFPA 72 coordinated compliance. Florida licensed since 1998.

Phase IAutomatic Recall
Phase IIFirefighter Service
Lobby DetectorsTrigger Point
Since 1998South Florida
On This Page
Direct Answer

Firemax Fire Protection provides elevator recall testing and certification for commercial and multi-family properties across South Florida. This service is governed primarily by ASME A17.1/CSA B44. Elevator recall exists specifically to prevent people from using elevators during a fire and to prevent an elevator from stopping at a floor where fire or smoke conditions exist, and this depends entirely on smoke detectors at each elevator lobby correctly and reliably signaling the elevator controller. Every service visit produces AHJ and insurance-format compliance documentation.

Service Overview

Elevator Recall Testing and Certification: What It Involves

Elevator recall is the fire alarm system’s interface with elevator controllers, designed to automatically return elevator cars to a designated floor and take them out of normal service during a fire condition. Phase I recall is triggered by smoke detection at elevator lobbies or in the elevator machine room, and it recalls cars to the building’s main floor or an alternate designated floor if the main floor detector itself is the one that activated. Phase II recall provides firefighters manual control of a recalled elevator car for firefighting operations.

The critical vulnerability in this system is the lobby detector, since it is both the trigger for a life-saving function and, being a smoke detector, subject to the same sensitivity drift, contamination, and aging issues that affect any smoke detector. A lobby detector that fails to activate does not just miss detecting smoke in that specific location, it fails to trigger the elevator recall that prevents building occupants from being trapped in an elevator during a fire or, worse, having the elevator stop at the fire floor.

Testing this interface requires verifying the complete functional chain: lobby detector activation, correct signal transmission to the elevator controller, and correct elevator response including car movement to the designated floor and door operation. We perform this testing and certification for commercial and multi-family high-rise properties throughout South Florida.

Key Consideration

A lobby detector that fails doesn’t just miss smoke. It fails to stop an elevator from opening onto a fire floor.

Fire alarm compliance is enforced at the AHJ level and reviewed during insurance renewal. Getting this service right the first time avoids the cost of redoing it under inspection pressure.

Phase I/II RecallGoverning framework for this service
ASME A17.1/CSA B44Primary applicable standard
ASME A17.1/CSA B44Primary Standard
LicensedFL Fire Contractor
DocumentedEvery Visit
Since 1998South Florida

Last updated: May 2026

What We Cover

Elevator Recall Testing and Certification

Phase I Automatic Recall Testing

We test Phase I recall by activating each elevator lobby and machine room smoke detector and verifying the correct elevator car responds by returning to the designated recall floor and removing itself from normal service.

Phase II Firefighter Service Testing

We test Phase II operation, verifying firefighters can take manual control of a recalled car using the designated key switch and operate it for firefighting purposes independent of normal elevator controls.

Lobby Detector Sensitivity and Placement Verification

We verify lobby detectors are correctly placed relative to elevator doors and HVAC diffusers, since incorrect placement can cause either delayed detection or nuisance recall activation from unrelated airflow.

Alternate Recall Floor Verification

We verify the system correctly redirects recall to an alternate designated floor when the primary recall floor’s own detector is the one that activated, since recalling elevators to the fire floor itself would defeat the entire purpose of the system.

Elevator Controller Interface Coordination

We coordinate testing with the property’s elevator service contractor, since full verification requires both fire alarm signal transmission and correct elevator controller response, which sits across the same two-trade boundary seen in other fire alarm integration testing.

Certification Documentation for AHJ and Elevator Inspection

We provide recall testing documentation formatted for both fire code AHJ review and the separate elevator inspection and certification process the property undergoes under ASME A17.1.

Need elevator recall testing and certification? Assessment, service, and documentation. ASME A17.1/CSA B44 compliant. Licensed since 1998.
(305) 969-0629 Get a Quote

What Goes Wrong

Common Issues We Find

01

Lobby Detectors Subject to the Same Drift as Any Smoke Detector

Elevator lobby detectors are ordinary smoke detectors performing a critical function, and they are subject to the same sensitivity drift, dust accumulation, and aging issues as any other smoke detector, meaning they require the same rigorous testing attention despite their particularly consequential role.

02

Recall Testing Performed as Fire Alarm-Only Without Elevator Response Verification

Testing that confirms the fire alarm system correctly signals a recall condition without verifying the elevator actually responds correctly, moving to the correct floor and removing itself from service, only completes half of the required verification.

03

Alternate Recall Floor Logic Not Tested Specifically

The system’s ability to redirect recall to an alternate floor when the primary recall floor detector activates is a specific logic path that requires its own dedicated test, and a general recall test using a different lobby detector will not verify this particular function works correctly.

04

Lobby Detector Placement Causing Nuisance Recall Activation

A lobby detector placed too close to an HVAC diffuser or in a location prone to environmental false triggers can cause nuisance recall events, which disrupts building operations and, over time, can lead to detectors being disabled or ignored in ways that compromise the actual life safety function.

05

Fire Alarm and Elevator Service Contractors Not Coordinating Recall Testing

As with sprinkler integration, the boundary between fire alarm signal transmission and elevator controller response sits across two different trades, and testing performed by only one contractor without coordination with the other can leave gaps in the complete functional verification.

An undocumented fire alarm deficiency is an insurance problem before it is an AHJ problem.

Carriers writing commercial policies in South Florida routinely require current fire alarm inspection records as a condition of coverage. A lapsed or undocumented system can complicate a claim on the exact loss it was installed to help prevent. We track inspection intervals and produce complete records after every visit.

(305) 969-0629 Get a Quote

Our Process

How We Handle Elevator Recall Testing and Certification

1

Elevator and Detector Survey

We document elevator bank configuration, designated recall floors and alternate floors, and lobby and machine room detector placement for each elevator group.

2

Phase I Recall Testing

We test automatic recall by activating each lobby and machine room detector individually, verifying correct car response and correct alternate floor redirection where applicable.

3

Phase II Firefighter Service Testing

We test firefighter manual control operation for each elevator car, verifying key switch function and independent car control.

4

Coordination and Certification

We coordinate with the elevator service contractor where needed to verify complete functional response, and provide certification documentation for both fire code and elevator inspection requirements.

Two Consequences of One Function

Why Elevator Recall Serves Two Distinct Safety Purposes

Elevator recall is designed to prevent two different bad outcomes, and understanding both is important to appreciating why the testing has to be this thorough.

Preventing occupants from using elevators during a fire. Elevators can fail during a fire in ways stairs do not, losing power, opening onto smoke-filled floors, or simply becoming unavailable mid-evacuation. Phase I recall removes elevators from normal occupant use specifically to prevent people from relying on them for evacuation during exactly the condition where that reliance becomes dangerous.

Preventing an elevator from opening onto the fire floor. This is the more acute danger the system addresses. If an elevator continued normal operation during a fire, it could stop and open its doors at the floor where the fire is actually occurring, exposing anyone inside the car directly to fire or smoke conditions. Recall removes this specific risk by pulling cars out of service and to a safe designated floor before this can happen.

The alternate floor logic exists because the primary floor can itself be compromised. If the smoke detector at the primary recall floor is the one that activated, recalling cars there would defeat the entire purpose of the system by sending elevators directly to the fire location. The alternate recall floor logic redirects cars to a secondary safe floor in this specific scenario, which is why this logic path needs its own dedicated test rather than being assumed to work based on a general recall test.

Code Compliance

Applicable Codes and Standards

Every service we perform is documented and verified against the standards that govern it. Using a generic checklist across unlike systems and occupancies is one of the most common reasons a system passes an internal review and still fails an AHJ inspection.

ASME A17.1/CSA B44
ASME A17.1/CSA B44 Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators
NFPA 72
NFPA 72 National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code
NFPA 101
NFPA 101 Life Safety Code
Florida Fire Prevention Code
State adoption of the NFPA standard set, enforced by the local AHJ during commercial occupancy inspection

Who We Serve

South Florida Facilities We Serve

High-Rise Office BuildingsMulti-story office towers with elevator banks requiring Phase I and Phase II recall certification.
High-Rise Residential and Condominium BuildingsResidential towers with elevator recall serving both occupant safety and firefighter operations.
Hotels and Hospitality High-RisesMulti-story hospitality properties requiring reliable recall given continuous guest occupancy.
Hospital and Healthcare TowersMulti-story healthcare facilities with elevator recall coordinated with patient evacuation and staff response planning.
Mixed-Use High-Rise DevelopmentsCombined residential, commercial, and retail towers requiring recall testing across multiple elevator banks.
Parking Structures With Elevator ServiceMulti-level parking structures with elevator access requiring recall integration into the overall building system.

Related Services

Other Integration and Life Safety Interface

These services are frequently needed together on the same fire alarm system. We coordinate all of them under one service relationship.

Fire Alarm and Sprinkler System Integration
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Fire Alarm and Access Control Integration
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Firefighter Smoke Control Station Interface
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Fire Alarm Interface With Kitchen Hood and Special Hazard Suppression
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Full Directory

All Fire Alarm Services We Provide

Firemax designs, installs, tests, and services fire alarm systems across every application below. Select a service for scope, applicable codes, and inspection requirements.

Core Recurring Services
Fire Alarm Inspection and Testing → Fire Alarm Monitoring → Fire Alarm Repair Services → Fire Alarm Battery and Backup Power Testing → Notification Appliance Testing and Service → Smoke and Heat Detector Sensitivity Testing →
Integration and Life Safety Interface
Fire Alarm and Sprinkler System Integration → Elevator Recall Testing and Certification Fire Alarm and Access Control Integration → Firefighter Smoke Control Station Interface → Fire Alarm Interface With Kitchen Hood and Special Hazard Suppression →
Compliance, Documentation and Project Services
Fire Alarm System Design and Installation → Fire Alarm Plan Review and Permitting Assistance → Fire Watch During Fire Alarm Impairment → Fire Alarm Certification and AHJ Tagging → Change of Occupancy and Tenant Buildout Fire Alarm Compliance → Fire Alarm Inspection for Building Sale or Insurance Renewal →
Building-Type Applications
High-Rise Fire Alarm Systems → Fire Alarm for Multi-Family and Condominium Buildings → Fire Alarm for Hotels and Hospitality → Fire Alarm for Healthcare Facilities → Fire Alarm for Schools and Educational Institutions → Fire Alarm for Warehouses and Industrial Facilities →

Where We Work

Fire Alarm Services Across South Florida

We design, install, test, and service fire alarm systems for commercial and multi-family properties throughout Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and Monroe Counties. Factory-trained technicians, Florida licensed since 1998.

Miami-Dade County
Service Area
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Broward County
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Palm Beach County
Service Area
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Monroe County
Service Area
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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions: Elevator Recall Testing and Certification

Phase I is automatic recall, triggered by smoke detection at elevator lobbies or the machine room, which returns elevator cars to a designated floor and removes them from normal occupant use. Phase II is firefighter service, allowing firefighters to take manual control of a recalled car using a designated key switch so they can use the elevator for firefighting operations independent of normal automatic controls. Both need to be tested, since they serve different purposes at different points in an emergency response.

Because they trigger a function specifically designed to prevent one of the more dangerous scenarios in a building fire: an elevator continuing normal service and opening onto a floor where fire or smoke conditions exist. A lobby detector that fails to activate doesn’t just miss detecting smoke in that location, it fails to trigger the recall that would otherwise pull that elevator out of service before it could expose occupants to those conditions.

The system should redirect recall to an alternate designated floor rather than sending elevator cars to the primary recall floor, since that floor is now the one experiencing a fire condition. This alternate floor logic is a specific function that needs its own dedicated test, because a general recall test using a different lobby detector won’t verify that this particular redirect logic actually works correctly when needed.

Not completely. Full verification requires confirming both that the fire alarm system correctly signals a recall condition and that the elevator controller actually responds correctly, moving the car to the designated floor and removing it from service. This often requires coordination with the property’s elevator service contractor, since the elevator’s actual physical response sits outside what a fire alarm contractor alone can verify or control.

Testing frequency is governed by both fire alarm testing requirements under NFPA 72 and elevator inspection requirements under ASME A17.1, and coordinating these two testing obligations, since they’re often performed by different trades on potentially different schedules, is part of maintaining consistent compliance. We coordinate recall-specific testing to align with your property’s overall fire alarm testing interval while accounting for the elevator inspection process separately.

Written and Reviewed By
Firemax Fire Protection Team

This page was written and reviewed by the licensed fire protection specialists at Firemax Fire Protection. Our factory-trained technicians have been designing, installing, testing, and servicing fire alarm systems for commercial and multi-family properties throughout South Florida since 1998. All content reflects current ASME A17.1/CSA B44, NFPA 72, NFPA 101, and Florida Fire Prevention Code requirements.

Complete Fire Protection

Fire Alarm Service Is One Part of
Complete Facility Fire Protection

A property with elevator recall testing and certification almost always has fire sprinkler, extinguisher, kitchen hood, and emergency lighting obligations running on separate schedules. We consolidate all of them under a single licensed contractor.

Fire Sprinkler Inspection
NFPA 25 annual and quarterly inspection, testing, and maintenance for all sprinkler system types.
Fire Sprinkler Repair
Corrective repair for deficiencies including pipe leaks, head replacement, and valve repair.
Fire Extinguisher Inspection
Annual inspection and service of portable extinguishers per NFPA 10.
Kitchen Hood Suppression
Semi-annual inspection and service of commercial kitchen hood suppression systems per NFPA 17A.
Emergency Lighting
Annual inspection and 90-minute testing of emergency lighting and exit sign systems per NFPA 101.
Backflow Prevention
Annual backflow preventer testing and certification for fire sprinkler supply connections.
Marine Fire Protection
Vessel and waterfront facility fire protection, inspection, and system installation.
Special Hazards Suppression
Purpose-built suppression for industrial, storage, and process fire hazards.
Call (305) 969-0629 Request a Multi-Service Quote

One provider, one schedule, one compliance file for every system in the facility.

Elevator Recall Testing and Certification

Get Your Fire Alarm System
Fully Compliant

Firemax Fire Protection has been a licensed Florida fire protection contractor since 1998. We assess your system, perform the required service, and keep it certified with documented, on-schedule inspections.

(305) 969-0629
service@firemaxfirepro.com
Call (305) 969-0629 Request a Quote