Lockdown apparatus for initiation of lockdown procedures at a facility during an emergency

A lockdown apparatus for facilitating initiation of lockdown procedures at a facility that is configured for occupation by facility occupants and that includes a fire alarm, the fire alarm including a fire alarm actuator and a fire alarm communicator configured to produce a fire alarm communication for communicating actuation of the fire alarm actuator, the lockdown apparatus being usable with mobile wireless devices of responding authorities, the lockdown apparatus comprising:

• a lockdown controller;
• a combined actuator and image sensor assembly disposed at the facility that is configured to be recognizably distinguishable from the fire alarm actuator, the assembly including a lockdown actuator configured to transmit a lockdown initiation signal upon being actuated, and an image sensor configured to capture at least one of a still image and a video image of a region proximate the assembly;
• and
• a lockdown communicator configured to produce a lockdown initiation communication for communicating initiation of lockdown procedures to the facility occupants and individuals not disposed proximate the facility upon transmission of the lockdown initiation signal, the lockdown initiation communication being recognizably distinguishable from the fire alarm communication;
• wherein the lockdown controller being operated by software for performing the following operations:
• receiving the lockdown initiation signal transmitted by the lockdown actuator;
• upon receipt of the lockdown initiation signal, transmitting the at least one of the still image and the video image captured by the image sensor and electronic blueprints of at least a part of the facility including the region proximate the assembly to the mobile wireless devices of the responding authorities, the electronic blueprints being configured to be displayed on the mobile wireless devices and facilitate communications between the responding authorities and at least one of the facility occupants.