Lockdown Procedures & Safety Protocols

In a security threat situation, the ability to instantly lock down your facility can be the difference between safety and danger. KyberAccess Lockdown Mode integrates with your access control hardware to secure doors, restrict entry, alert staff, and manage the situation from a single command center.

Activating Lockdown Mode

KyberAccess supports two methods for activating lockdown:

From the Admin Dashboard

1. Navigate to Safety > Emergency Management from the main sidebar.
2. Click the Activate Lockdown button (distinguished from Evacuation by its lock icon).
3. In the activation dialog, configure:
   • Scope — Select which locations, buildings, or floors to lock down. Choose All Locations for a facility-wide lockdown.
   • Lockdown Level — Soft Lockdown (restrict new entries, allow exits) or Hard Lockdown (restrict all movement, lock all doors).
   • Reason — Select from predefined reasons (Security Threat, Medical Emergency, Hazardous Material, Other) or type a custom reason.
4. Click Activate Lockdown to confirm.

Emergency Quick-Action

For immediate lockdown without navigating menus:

1. Click the Emergency button (red shield icon) in the top navigation bar, visible on every page.
2. Select Lockdown from the emergency options.
3. The system defaults to a Hard Lockdown across all locations. Adjust the scope if needed.
4. Click Confirm to activate instantly.

What Happens When Lockdown Activates

Once lockdown is triggered, KyberAccess executes the following actions automatically:

Door and Access Control

• All connected access control doors switch to locked state based on your lockdown level.
• Soft Lockdown: Entry doors lock; exit doors remain operable for egress.
• Hard Lockdown: All doors lock in both directions. Emergency exit hardware (panic bars) remains functional per fire code compliance.
• Turnstiles and gates connected via KyberGate switch to deny-all mode.

Kiosk Behavior

• All kiosk screens immediately display a Lockdown Notice with instructions (e.g., "This facility is currently in lockdown. Please remain in your current location.").
• Visitor check-in and check-out are completely disabled on all kiosks.
• The kiosk screen cannot be dismissed or bypassed by visitors.

Notifications

• Push notifications are sent to all host mobile apps with the lockdown alert.
• Email alerts go to all administrators, safety officers, and designated emergency contacts.
• SMS alerts are sent to the safety team if SMS integration is configured under Settings > Integrations > SMS.
• Custom webhook triggers fire for any connected external systems (PA systems, alarm panels) configured under Settings > Integrations > Webhooks.

Monitoring During Lockdown

The Lockdown Dashboard provides real-time situational awareness:

• On-Site Count — Total number of visitors, staff, and contractors currently in the facility.
• Door Status Map — Visual map showing all connected doors and their current state (locked/unlocked). Doors that failed to lock are flagged in red.
• Access Attempt Log — Real-time feed of any access attempts (badge swipes, QR scans) made during lockdown, showing who attempted access and where.
• Active Alerts — Any notifications or broadcasts that have been sent.

Handling Access Exceptions

During lockdown, certain personnel (first responders, security staff) may need access:

1. On the Lockdown Dashboard, click Access Exceptions.
2. Click Add Exception.
3. Search for the person by name or badge number.
4. Select which specific doors they are permitted to access.
5. Set an expiration (30 minutes, 1 hour, or Until Lockdown Ends).
6. Click Grant Access.

The exception is logged and the selected doors will temporarily unlock for that individual's credentials only.

Alerting Hosts and Staff

Beyond automatic notifications, you can send targeted communications during lockdown:

Sending Manual Alerts

1. From the Lockdown Dashboard, click Send Alert.
2. Compose your message with situation updates or instructions.
3. Choose the delivery channels: Push Notification, Email, SMS, or All.
4. Choose the audience:
   • All On-Site — Everyone currently checked in.
   • Hosts Only — Only registered host employees.
   • Safety Team — Designated safety officers.
   • Specific Floor/Location — Target a particular area.
5. Click Send Now.

Pre-Configured Alert Templates

Set up alert templates in advance to save time during emergencies:

1. Go to Settings > Safety > Alert Templates.
2. Click Create Template.
3. Enter a template name, message body, and default audience.
4. Click Save.

During a lockdown, templates appear as quick-select options when composing alerts.

Restricting Check-Ins During Lockdown

When lockdown is active, check-in restrictions are enforced automatically:

• Kiosk check-ins are completely blocked. The kiosk displays the lockdown notice instead of the check-in flow.
• Pre-registered visits scheduled during the lockdown period are automatically flagged and held. Visitors arriving will see a message that check-in is temporarily unavailable.
• Host-initiated check-ins from the admin dashboard are blocked with a warning: "Lockdown is active. Check-ins are restricted."
• API-based check-ins return an error response indicating lockdown status.

Administrators with Safety Officer role can override check-in restrictions on a case-by-case basis:

1. Navigate to Visitors > Check In on the admin dashboard.
2. The override prompt will appear: "Lockdown is active. Do you want to override the restriction?"
3. Enter an override reason (logged for audit purposes).
4. Complete the check-in as normal.

Deactivating Lockdown

When the situation is resolved:

1. Return to the Lockdown Dashboard (or click the red lockdown banner visible on every page).
2. Click Deactivate Lockdown.
3. A confirmation dialog will appear. You must:
   • Confirm you are authorized to deactivate (re-enter your admin password or use biometric authentication if configured).
   • Enter a resolution note describing why the lockdown is being lifted.
4. Click Confirm Deactivation.

Upon deactivation:

• All doors return to their normal access schedules.
• Kiosks return to the standard check-in flow.
• An All Clear notification is sent to the same channels that received the lockdown alert.
• Held pre-registrations become active again, and visitors can check in normally.
• A Lockdown Report is automatically generated.

Lockdown Reports and Audit Trail

Every lockdown generates a detailed report accessible at Safety > Emergency Management > Reports:

• Lockdown Duration — Start time, end time, total elapsed time.
• Scope — Which locations and floors were affected.
• Door Activity Log — Every door lock/unlock event with timestamps.
• Access Attempts — All badge swipes and QR scans attempted during lockdown.
• Access Exceptions Granted — Who was granted override access and by whom.
• Check-In Overrides — Any check-ins performed during lockdown with override reasons.
• Notification Log — All alerts sent, delivery status, and timestamps.
• Resolution Notes — Who deactivated the lockdown and the stated reason.

Reports can be downloaded as PDF or CSV for compliance documentation and post-incident review.

Best Practices

• Test your access control integration regularly to ensure doors respond to lockdown commands. Use Safety > Test Door Lock to verify connectivity without triggering a full lockdown.
• Create alert templates for common scenarios so you can communicate quickly during high-stress situations.
• Designate Safety Officers in your team roles under Settings > Team > Roles to ensure the right people have lockdown authority.
• Review lockdown reports after every incident or drill to identify response time improvements.
• Configure webhook integrations with your PA system and alarm panels for a coordinated facility response.
• Train all administrators on both the standard and quick-action lockdown activation methods.