Fire and life safety planning often focuses on alarms, sprinklers, and suppression systems. But building access control plays a key role in emergency response as well. When integrated properly, security systems can help facilitate faster, safer evacuations by unlocking egress points, streamlining emergency communication, and giving first responders better access to critical areas.
Relay Safety helps commercial and institutional clients design building access control systems that support fire evacuation protocols and strengthen overall safety infrastructure.
The Overlap Between Security and Life Safety
Modern facilities need both protection from external threats and systems that ensure quick, safe exits during emergencies. These goals may seem at odds, but with the right design, your access control system can support both.
Well-integrated access control systems can:
- Automatically unlock exit doors when fire alarms are triggered
- Release magnetic locks or secure entry points without manual intervention
- Provide fire departments with credentialed or remote access to restricted areas
- Communicate with mass notification systems for quicker occupant alerts
- Offer audit trails and access logs to aid post-incident review
Without integration, locked doors or rigid security protocols can become dangerous barriers during fire evacuations.
How Access Control Supports Evacuation
When connected to a building’s fire alarm system, access control systems can take automated steps that improve the speed and safety of an evacuation.
Examples include:
- Automatic Door Unlocking
When an alarm sounds, specific doors such as stairwell exits or perimeter gates can automatically unlock to allow occupant egress without delay. - Fail-Safe Lock Mechanisms
Systems can be configured so locks default to an unlocked state in power failure or alarm conditions, ensuring doors do not trap occupants. - Elevator Recall and Area Lockdown
In larger buildings, access control systems can support elevator recall, emergency zoning, or floor-specific lockdowns to direct movement away from hazards. - First Responder Access
Key fob or badge systems can allow designated emergency personnel to enter sensitive or high-security areas when immediate access is needed. - Integrated Alerts and Communication
Some access systems can trigger automated messaging systems that provide verbal or text instructions to occupants during evacuation.
Who Benefits Most from Access Control Integration?
Relay Safety works with a wide range of industries that benefit from integrating fire safety and security systems, including:
- Commercial Real Estate
Buildings with lobbies, multi-tenant floors, and secure areas that require coordinated egress - Healthcare Facilities
Hospitals and clinics with patient wings, pharmacies, and restricted access zones - Government Buildings
Facilities that must balance public access with emergency protocols - Education and Hospitality
Schools and hotels with large populations that rely on clear exit paths and trained staff
Planning for Secure and Safe Evacuations
To get the most out of your building access control system, work with professionals who understand both security and fire and life safety. Relay Safety helps clients:
- Audit existing access points and security protocols
- Ensure fail-safe locking systems comply with NFPA and local codes
- Integrate access controls with fire alarm systems and emergency notification platforms
- Develop evacuation maps and egress planning that account for electronic entry points
Create Smarter, Safer Buildings with Relay Safety
Access control is no longer just about keeping people out. It is also about helping them get out safely during an emergency. Relay Safety designs and maintains security and access control systems that support both fire safety compliance and day-to-day protection.
Let our experts help you strengthen your building’s emergency readiness and occupant safety.
