For many facility managers, occupants getting stuck in an elevator is one of their worst nightmares. The occupants are shaken up. The fire department often has to rescue them, which creates a scene. And the whole incident often makes headlines, shining a negative light on the facility.
So imagine how building managers at a Vatican facility must’ve felt recently when the most important of VIPs was stuck in an elevator for 25 minutes. Pope Francis was delayed delivering his weekly Sunday address to the flock at St. Peter’s Square because a “drop in voltage” caused an elevator malfunction. The Fire Brigade worked diligently and was able to get the elevator working again to rescue the 82-year-old pontiff, who was not rattled at all by the incident, according to the Washington Post.
According to NPR, many of the faithful who had gathered in the square were increasingly worried at the pope’s delay, as he is well known for his punctuality. And so when he finally appeared for his noon address after a seven-minute delay, the crowd was immensely relieved.
This post was submitted by Greg Zimmerman, executive editor, Building Operating Management and FacilitiesNet.com. Read his cover story about Chris Walinski and his mission to make open offices flexible and productive.
