Lockdowns need to happen quickly to protect people and property from potential harm. A facility that this not locked down properly can suffer costly damage and disruptions. The risks that come with having an ineffective lockdown plan became painfully evident following the events at the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6. While the people inside the building were ushered to safety, the building itself was breached and overrun resulting in theft, building damage, injury and even death. It was clear that while the notification side of an emergency plan can be useful, its effectiveness only goes so far if it is not working in tandem with other physical security measures.
Many organizations have found a solution though by combining their mass notification systems with physical security systems to help automate the lockdown process. Too often, organizations introduce complex procedures and tools that require multiple steps before people can begin to lockdown their facilities. This can waste precious time and increases the likelihood one of those steps in missed, which could result in people encountering dangerous individuals or situations. The simpler a lockdown procedure is, the faster it can be initiated. Integrating lockdown tools with mass notification means multiple actions can happen simultaneously.