Help for disabled friend...

[LikaNui]

Re: Help for disabled friend...

Just saw the story on the news! Way to go you guys!!

Yeah, and they ran it as the #2 lead story!
Again, mahalo to them and to all the media.

[tutusue]

Re: Help for disabled friend...

KHON will feature the story at 10 with Jai Cunningham reporting. My friend got a kick out of how smoothly things are running now that cameras are rolling! Yesterday afternoon she waited for the elevator for 2 hours...today, 12 minutes because there's a plan in place!!!

I missed all the news coverage earlier this evening as I was in a meeting. I'll start watching at 9p.

For all you media folks who got involved...MAHALO! This should be a good lesson for all of us on how such a small number of people can make such a big difference. This story wasn't just about my friend...it was about everyone living in that building. One resident is 9 months hapai. I don't want to even think about the problems she might've encountered or might still encounter.

LN, your new sig is too funny! True, but funny!

[LikaNui]

Re: Help for disabled friend...

KHON will feature the story at 10 with Jai Cunningham reporting.

Hooray! And the story just now aired on KFVE as the #3 lead story! Paul Drewes did it.

My friend got a kick out of how smoothly things are running now that cameras are rolling!

Heh. Yes, I imagine all the residents there are wondering about the sudden media interest... and surely they're happy that help is on the way because of it.

Yesterday afternoon she waited for the elevator for 2 hours...today, 12 minutes because there's a plan in place!!!

And the choir sang "AMEN!!!"

LN, your new sig is too funny! True, but funny!

Hehehehe. I dunno, it just seemed appropriate, for now. I'll change it again in a day or two.
And Tutu, your own sig has been up for a long time but is especially apropos right now: "Today's circumstances arose from yesterday's focus."
Yes, they surely did. [/high five]

[tutusue]

Re: Help for disabled friend...

Hooray! And the story just now aired on KFVE as the #3 lead story! Paul Drewes did it.

Yep! My friend was the first interview!

[...]And Tutu, your own sig has been up for a long time but is especially apropos right now: "Today's circumstances arose from yesterday's focus."
Yes, they surely did. [/high five]

Heh! I'm too lazy to change it. Leave it up long enough and it becomes fitting!

I just heard that the condo owners were assessed $800. per unit to cover the elevator repairs and, so far, there's nothing to show for that money. I assume (not a good idea, I know!) that was when the first elevator broke down earlier this year. Now they have to deal with both elevators. I would think that a monthly maintenance fee would include monies to build up a reserve to cover emergency expeditures of this nature. (Note to self...check on my own places! ) Who knows, maybe there was a decent reserve and another emergency ate into it prior to the elevator fiasco.

[LikaNui]

Re: Help for disabled friend...

Yes, Tutu, having a reserves account is required by law!
And hey, KHON just aired the story, and it was the #1 lead story! Excellent job by Jai Cunningham, and a good lead-in by Joe Moore. Joe also did a good follow-up by pointing out the earlier problems with the same elevator company. I don't recall the other stations pointing that out.
And about that $800 special assessment... the KHON story said the repair estimate is about $350,000 to fix both elevators. But there are 144 apartments, right? Something is wrong with the numbers somewhere. The assessment seems to be more than double what was needed. (shrug)
Also, KHON has the story at this link on their website now!
I'm looking forward to seeing what the Advertiser and the Star-Bulletin run in the morning.
And I'm guessing that the residents of the Canal House condominiums might offer to host our next HT get-together. We could, you know, take the elevator to their roof.

[pzarquon]

Re: Help for disabled friend...

Dysfunctional elevators give residents shaft

A broken elevator at a 25-story Waikiki condominium building has triggered residents' tempers, made occupants wait two hours to get up to their apartments and left workers trying to help out with little sleep. But this is not the first time the elevators have broken down in the three months Greg Zellner has been resident manager of Canal House on Ala Wai Boulevard.

[1stwahine]

Re: Help for disabled friend...

Wooooo Hoooo!!! Celebration!!!

Great job LikaNui, TutuSue, The Media and Everybody who cared and showed Love and Aloha!

Only in Hawai'i!!

Auntie Lynn

[LikaNui]

Re: Help for disabled friend...

The story is on KHNL's website now at this link, and they also have a two-and-a-half minute video either from this link or on the other one.
Nice piece in the Star-Bulletin, too, which PZ already linked to.
Haven't heard of anything on KITV, and I imagine the Advertiser is doing something more in-depth, probably digging into the apparently-evil elevator company, so I imagine the Advertiser story will be out soon.
I'm impressed with the Canal House staff and Tad all putting in such long hours, but on the various TV stories I noticed there are many younger folks who live at Canal House. It would be nice to see some of them volunteer for elevator duty to help out the older residents. Just a thought.
Anyway, nice to see and hear how things are apparently improving. I hope they don't backslide once the media focus dies down, so TutuSue, if your friend has any more complaints, let us know!

[tutusue]

Re: Help for disabled friend...

Dysfunctional elevators give residents shaft

I found this part of the article interesting:

And for the past two days, a technician from the company was operating the elevator manually from a control room on the roof of the building.

My friend talked extensively about Tad being on the roof of the elevator. I said to her..."You mean the roof of the building, right?". She said..."No, the elevator."! She would talk to Tad from the elevator! Maybe an intercom system was in use. And, jeez, how humble is Tad!!! He declined to give his name. Hmmm...I hope that was out of humility and not fear.

[...]Haven't heard of anything on KITV[...]

I didn't see anything on KITV either but thought I might've missed it after watching the KHON coverage where it was the lead story.

[...]Anyway, nice to see and hear how things are apparently improving. I hope they don't backslide once the media focus dies down, so TutuSue, if your friend has any more complaints, let us know!

Will do! I know one reported made the same request of my friend. They want to do a follow-up.

I wonder if anyone in the media contacted the management company?

[lavagal]

Re: Help for disabled friend...

I think this Tad is a true hero. However, my concern is that he might have to endure some retaliation from his company or the building owner or building manager for making the rest of them look bad--simply by doing the right thing. I think he deserves massive compensation and a job offer from a legitimate firm that could use his 'can-do' attitude. Imagine this guy will need a massage, at the very least. And what if he actually does get injured, sprains his back? He's probably hurt for life.

I hope the press is crawling all over this like a bunch of fire ants. So many have let the ball drop, and there he is: A veritable Atlas, carrying the weight of this elevator, its cargo, and himself.

[LikaNui]

Re: Help for disabled friend...

My friend talked extensively about Tad being on the roof of the elevator. I said to her..."You mean the roof of the building, right?". She said..."No, the elevator."! She would talk to Tad from the elevator! Maybe an intercom system was in use.

The way it seemed to work was that folks would call the Resident Manager on his cell phone and tell him what floor they were on. Then he would call his own maintenance man on his cell phone, who was inside the elevator all the time. That guy would push the appropriate button, then he would call Tad on the roof of the building and Tad would push whatever button he had to.
A three-person three-call process. But no, nobody was on the roof of the elevator itself. You were right.
I hope that wins you a door prize.
Just not an elevator door.


PS: I changed my signature line back to normal, as you may have noticed.

[tutusue]

Re: Help for disabled friend...

[...]And about that $800 special assessment... the KHON story said the repair estimate is about $350,000 to fix both elevators. But there are 144 apartments, right? Something is wrong with the numbers somewhere. The assessment seems to be more than double what was needed. (shrug)[...]

Hmmm...missed this post this morning, LN. Unless my calculator is wrong, $800. x 144 units = $115,200. Are you saying the $800 per unit assessment is more than double what was needed based on what the condo association should legally have in reserves? Must admit I'm not up to speed at all in an area that I should be...other than knowing that reserves are a legal requirement.

And I'm guessing that the residents of the Canal House condominiums might offer to host our next HT get-together. We could, you know, take the elevator to their roof.

Count me in...as long as Tad attends!

[1stwahine]

Re: Help for disabled friend...

Count me in...as long as Tad attends!

Me too!!! I wanna go too!!!

Auntie Lynn

[cezanne]

Re: Help for disabled friend...

The story is on KHNL's website now at this link, and they also have a two-and-a-half minute video either from this link or on the other one.

Booooo! to not letting the elderly lady in! (39 sec mark)

From the HVT company site: Lifting the Industry Standard in Hawaii...

Like someone said earlier..."you get what you pay for"...

[shaveice]

Re: Help for disabled friend...

I think this Tad is a true hero. However, my concern is that he might have to endure some retaliation from his company or the building owner or building manager for making the rest of them look bad--simply by doing the right thing. I think he deserves massive compensation and a job offer from a legitimate firm that could use his 'can-do' attitude. Imagine this guy will need a massage, at the very least. And what if he actually does get injured, sprains his back? He's probably hurt for life.

I hope the press is crawling all over this like a bunch of fire ants. So many have let the ball drop, and there he is: A veritable Atlas, carrying the weight of this elevator, its cargo, and himself.

yup, i totally agree. like you said, i hope good things will come tad's way... what an admirable guy he is.