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

A processor based computer implemented method for operating a lockdown system to facilitate implementation 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 system including a manually operated lockdown actuator disposed at the facility and configured to transmit an electronic lockdown initiation signal upon being manually actuated, the lockdown actuator being configured to be recognizably distinguishable from the fire alarm actuator, the lockdown system also including a lockdown communicator configured to produce a lockdown 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 communication being recognizably distinguishable from the fire alarm communication, the lockdown communicator including an annunciator configured to communicate an audible annunciation to facility occupants that is recognizably distinguishable from the fire alarm communication, and a visual indicator configured to communicate a visual indication to facility occupants that is recognizably distinguishable from the fire alarm communication, the lockdown system further including a manually operated override actuator configured to transmit a manually initiated override signal, the method comprising using the computer to perform the steps of:

• generating an electronic lockdown initiation signal by manually actuating the lockdown actuator;
• transmitting the lockdown initiation signal to the annunciator to instruct the annunciator to communicate the audible annunciation for only a predetermined number of alarm cycles;
• transmitting the lockdown initiation signal to the visual indicator to instruct the visual indicator to communicate the visual indication;
• generating the override signal by manually operating the override actuator;
• and
• transmitting the override signal to the visual indicator to instruct the visual indicator to cease communicating the visual indication.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer implementable instructions which, when implemented by a programmable computer, cause a computer to operate a lockdown system to facilitate implementation 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 system including a manually operated lockdown actuator disposed at the facility and configured to transmit an electronic lockdown initiation signal upon being manually actuated, the lockdown actuator being configured to be recognizably distinguishable from the fire alarm actuator, the lockdown system also including a lockdown communicator configured to produce a lockdown 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 communication being recognizably distinguishable from the fire alarm communication, the lockdown communicator including an annunciator configured to communicate an audible annunciation to facility occupants that is recognizably distinguishable from the fire alarm communication, and a visual indicator configured to communicate a visual indication to facility occupants that is recognizably distinguishable from the fire alarm communication, the lockdown system further including a manually operated override actuator configured to transmit a manually initiated override signal, the computer implementable instructions being capable of causing the computer to perform steps comprising:

• generating an electronic lockdown initiation signal by manually actuating the lockdown actuator;
• transmitting the lockdown initiation signal to the annunciator to instruct the annunciator to communicate the audible annunciation for only a predetermined number of alarm cycles;
• transmitting the lockdown initiation signal to the visual indicator to instruct the visual indicator to communicate the visual indication;
• generating the override signal by manually operating the override actuator;
• and
• transmitting the override signal to the visual indicator to instruct the visual indicator to cease communicating the visual indication.