I was curious if there were other news stories of physically handicapped people calling 911 because they were stuck in their apartment buildings. The first example listed below is the story we have been talking about. It sheds more light on her situation.
Here are several news stories highlighting instances where individuals who use wheelchairs or have mobility impairments were effectively trapped at home or in residential buildings due to broken elevators—and in some cases, had to call 911 for assistance:
📰 Notable News Incidents
### **Clearwater, Florida: Fire Department Called for Elevator Rescue**
At On Top of the World condos, a wheelchair user living on the third floor was stuck in her unit after the elevator went down—once for as long as **five months**. She called 911 when she had essential medical appointments and the fire department assisted her out ([ABC Action News Tampa Bay (WFTS)][1]).
**Yuba City, California: Multiple Residents Trapped**
At the Sutter Village complex, elevator outages left dozens of elderly and disabled residents stranded. A quadriplegic tenant and others missed medical appointments and needed firefighters to carry them out of the building. Some residents described the experience as being “trapped” or “prisoners” in their own homes ([KCRA][2]).
**Indianapolis, Indiana: Disabled Resident Stuck for Weeks**
In a Section 8 accessible housing complex, a disabled woman couldn’t leave her unit for **18 days** due to a broken elevator. She began relying on calling 911 and was deeply frustrated by poor communication and lack of timely repairs ([WISH-TV][3]).
**Baltimore, Maryland: Fire Department Rescues Dialysis Patient**
At Park View at Ashland Terrace apartments, the elevator failure forced wheelchair-bound residents—including a woman on dialysis—to call Baltimore City firefighters for assistance on multiple occasions ([WBAL][4]).
**Plano, Texas: Lack of Elevator Service Impacts Health and Work**
A woman with multiple sclerosis was unable to leave her second-floor apartment for months after the elevators failed. She described severe physical, emotional, and financial impacts. The city issued enforcement notices to the apartment complex due to prolonged elevator outages ([CBS News][5]).
Broader Context & Legal Implications
* **Philadelphia, Pennsylvania**: In low-income and subsidized housing complexes, elevator outages repeatedly trapped senior and disabled residents. Many reported missing doctor appointments and feeling like “prisoners in their own homes.” Advocates pointed to systemic maintenance issues and landlord negligence ([Inquirer.com][6]).
* **New York City Subway System**: While not residential, frequent broken elevators in the MTA system have severely impacted disabled riders. Advocates have filed a class-action suit highlighting that repair delays can take up to **eight months**, despite a consent decree demanding better service. Fire departments are sometimes called to assist when no staff help is available .
When 911 Was Involved
Though news articles don’t always explicitly say someone called 911, many of these situations involved calling emergency services:
**Firefighters** carried residents up/down stairs in Yuba City, Indianapolis, Baltimore, and Clearwater.
* Deferred or unresponsive building maintenance left emergency calls as the only option.
* In emergencies (medical needs or dialysis), immediate access was critical.
Legal & Disability Rights Notes
* The **Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)** generally requires accessible buildings and prompt elevator service. Repeated breakdowns without accommodation can be considered a violation.
* In **Atlanta**, a paramedic had to carry a woman down 25 steps during a medical emergency when no elevator was available—which raised serious concerns under ADA requirements .
* Legal advocacy groups have urged landlords and property managers to treat elevator outages as **medical emergencies** for disabled residents and provide temporary alternative access, like assistance from the fire department.
Summary
While these news stories don’t always explicitly mention the phrase “wheelchair users calling 911,” they document real-life situations where people with mobility impairments were trapped at home due to elevator failures—and in many cases, turned to emergency services for assistance.
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Chris F
AH: From an email forwarded by occasional guest poster, and contributor of many news stories, Mich.
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