Access Control for Emergencies

Basic Security System

i3 Technologies, a security and safety system integrator in the Philippines, believes that a basic security system should have at least 2 components: IP surveillance and access control.

In emergencies, a surveillance system is used to determine the situation, and the access control system is used to determine those who are safe and those who are at risk (e.g. those who were unable to evacuate successfully).

As i3 Technologies believes in preventive safety and security, this article is about how you can integrate your access control system to help you in a time of crisis.

Read: i3 Technologies as Exclusive Distributor of ASIS Technologies: Integrated Security Management Solutions

Access Control in Emergencies

1. Announcement of Evacuation

Manually reporting the fire, investigating it, and announcing residents to evacuate consumes a significant amount of time. Security management have to report the incident, give instructions to their teams and the residents, while also rapidly discussing the incident’s  details in an effort to control the situation.

2. During Evacuation

In a facility with many hallways, rooms, and doors, it takes time to navigate through the building to the nearest exit when each millisecond is vital.

3. After Evacuation

Roll calls and making attendance lists take valuable time, and exponentially so, when your facility holds numerous people. But it is a requirement to determine who might have been trapped or left inside.

To address these concerns, there is a need for a managed and organized evacuation with a shorter response time. And this can be made possible by the integration of your Access Control system with the Fire Detection and Alarm; and Public Address system.

How Emergency Access Control Works:

1.Once fire is detected by the Fire Detection and Alarm system, the Public Address system can automatically announce a prerecorded message to residents to stay calm and evacuate, giving guidance to those in all floors , or selected floors only. Further information such as the location or cause of the fire can be provided. Residents no longer need to be at high risk, checking with the temperatures of doorknobs to guide their evacuation.

2. Once the Fire Detection and Alarm system is triggered, access doors can open and close automatically, based on your protocols, to direct residents to the safest evacuation point.

3. With the Access Control system’s software, you can have a list to check attendance: who has successfully evacuated, those who have not, and their location. You can use this information to notify the authorities in order to search for the missing persons accordingly.

This integrated system can be installed by i3 Technologies at residential buildings, airports, hotels, plants, schools, hospitals, offices, banks, and other buildings.

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