Lockdown apparatus for initiation of lockdown procedures at a facility during an emergency having an image sensor for capturing still or video images

1. 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 comprising:

a lockdown actuator disposed at the facility and configured to transmit a lockdown initiation signal upon being actuated, the lockdown actuator being configured to be recognizably distinguishable from the fire alarm actuator;

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, the lockdown communicator including:

an annunciator that communicates an audible lockdown initiation annunciation to facility occupants upon transmission of the lockdown initiation signal, the audible lockdown initiation annunciation being recognizably distinguishable from the fire alarm communication so as to instruct facility occupants to adopt the lockdown procedures, and

a visual indicator that communicates a visual indication to facility occupants upon transmission of the lockdown initiation signal, the visual indication being recognizably distinguishable from the fire alarm communication; and

an image sensor configured to capture at least one of a still image and a video image of a region proximate the actuator.

2. The lockdown apparatus of claim 1 , further including a storage medium, the image sensor being configured to transmit the captured at least one of a still image and a video image to the storage medium, and the storage medium being configured to store the transmitted at least one of a still image and a video image.

3. The lockdown apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the image sensor is configured to continuously capture and transmit the at least one of a still image and a video image to the storage medium, including periods prior to and subsequent to actuation of the actuator, so as to facilitate identification of circumstances relating to actuation of the actuator and so as to facilitate monitoring the region proximate the actuator subsequent to actuation of the actuator.

4. The lockdown apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the image sensor is configured to initiate capturing and transmitting the at least one of a still image and a video image to the storage medium upon actuation of the actuator.

5. The lockdown apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the facility includes a surveillance system that is separate from the lockdown apparatus, and the lockdown apparatus further includes a processor configured and programmed to integrate the image sensor with the facility surveillance system.

6. The lockdown apparatus of claim 1 , further including a housing that is configured to integrally house both the actuator and the image sensor.

7. The lockdown apparatus of claim 1 , further including supplemental image sensors configured to capture at least one of a still image and a video image of a region not proximate the actuator.

8. The lockdown apparatus of claim 1 , further including a display configured to display the at least one of a still image and a video image captured by the image sensor.

9. The lockdown apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the display is configured to be statically mounted within the facility so as to be viewable by at least one facility occupant.

10. The lockdown apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the display is a mobile wireless device.

11. The lockdown apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is configured to be manually actuated and to be statically secured to a surface of the facility.

12. The lockdown apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the actuator includes a depressible button, the actuator being configured to transmit the lockdown initiation signal upon the button being depressed, the actuator also including a shield that is disposed over the button and movable between open and closed positions, the open position enabling manual access to the button, and the closed position impeding manual access to the button.

13. The lockdown apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is a manually actuable mobile wireless device.

14. The lockdown apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the annunciator and the visual indicator is configured to be statically secured to a surface within the facility.

15. The lockdown apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the annunciator and the visual indicator is configured to be statically secured to a surface at an exterior location of the facility.

16. The lockdown apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the annunciator and the visual indicator is a mobile wireless device.

17. The lockdown apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the visual indicator is configured to be a mobile wireless device, and the visual indication is in the form of a text message.

18. The lockdown apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the facility is configured to receive a regular supply of electrical power; the actuator, communicator, and image sensor being configured to receive the regular supply of electrical power; the lockdown apparatus further including a battery backup that is configured to provide power to at least one of the actuator, communicator, and image sensor upon an interruption of the regular supply of electrical power to the facility.

19. The lockdown apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the communicator further includes a vibrator that creates a vibration of sufficient strength to be perceivable by facility occupants upon transmission of the lockdown initiation signal.

20. The lockdown apparatus of claim 1 , further including a drill mode initiator configured to transmit a lockdown drill initiation signal upon being actuated, the lockdown drill initiation signal being different than the lockdown initiation signal, wherein the lockdown communicator is configured to produce a lockdown drill communication for communicating initiation of lockdown drill procedures to the facility occupants upon transmission of the lockdown drill initiation signal, and the annunciator is configured to communicate an audible lockdown drill annunciation to the facility occupants upon transmission of the lockdown drill initiation signal, the audible lockdown drill annunciation being recognizably distinguishable from the fire alarm communication and from the audible lockdown initiation annunciation so as to instruct facility occupants to adopt the lockdown drill procedures.