Lockdown & Evacuation: Know Who's Safe in Seconds
A fire evacuation system automates roll call by tracking employees via access control or RFID as they reach muster points. Real-time dashboards show who's safe and who's unaccounted for, with last-known locations to guide rescue efforts.
The reality today
Paper roll calls during fire drills are slow, chaotic, and unreliable. Fire wardens shout names into the wind while employees mill about. Someone's missing—but are they still inside, or did they nip out for coffee ten minutes ago? Traditional fire reports show who was on site when the alarm triggered, but people move. By the time you've done a headcount, the data is already stale.
Know Who's Safe Instantly
Real-time dashboard updates as employees check in at muster points. No more shouting names from clipboards.
Find the Missing Fast
Last-known location data tells rescue teams exactly where to look for anyone unaccounted for.
Clear Escape Routes Automatically
Fire panel integration automatically unlocks all doors, turnstiles and gates the moment the alarm sounds.
Prove Compliance
Complete audit trails of every evacuation demonstrate duty of care to regulators and insurers.
Key Features
Everything you need, built in.
How It Works
Simple implementation, powerful results.
Alarm Triggers
Fire alarm activates. System generates instant report of everyone on site.
Doors Unlock
Adam Link controller automatically unlocks all access-controlled doors and gates.
Tracking Begins
RFID readers at exits monitor employee movement as they evacuate.
Muster Check-In
Employees badge in at muster points to confirm they're safe.
Dashboard Updates
Fire wardens see real-time status: Safe, At Risk, or At Danger with last-known locations.
Built for Your Sector
About Lockdown & Evacuation
When the fire alarm sounds, every second counts. Traditional paper-based roll calls are slow, error-prone, and leave fire wardens uncertain about who's actually safe. Synel's automated evacuation system provides real-time tracking and instant accountability—so you know exactly who's accounted for and where to find anyone who isn't.
How It Works
When the fire alarm triggers, doors, turnstiles and gates controlled by Synel's Access Control automatically unlock to clear escape routes. Simultaneously, the system generates automated reports showing all employees by department, their status, and last known location. As employees reach muster points fitted with external readers, they badge in to confirm they're safe. The dashboard updates in real-time.
Real-Time vs Static Reports
Traditional fire reports only show who was present at the moment the alarm went off—a snapshot that's outdated within seconds as people move. Synel's system provides a dynamic, real-time view of where people are during the emergency, continuously updating as employees check in at muster points.
Three-Status Tracking
The system categorises everyone on site into three clear statuses: 'Safe' means they've checked in at a muster point. 'At Risk' means the system knows they clocked into the building but they haven't appeared at a muster point yet. 'At Danger' flags anyone whose status requires immediate attention. Fire wardens see exactly who to look for and where they were last seen.
Fire Panel Integration
Synel's Adam Link controller connects your Fire Alarm System directly to Access Control. When the alarm triggers, it automatically unlocks all doors, turnstiles and gates to ensure escape routes are clear—no manual intervention required. The system can also email presence reports to managers and print to network printers for hard-copy backup.
Two Technical Approaches
For organisations using standard Synel Access Control, card readers at muster points let employees swipe their badge to confirm they're safe. For environments requiring hands-free operation—food production, cleanrooms, or anywhere hygiene is critical—we deploy active RFID readers that detect badges automatically without any user action.
Visitors Included Automatically
The system automatically includes visitors and contractors in evacuation reports. Anyone signed in through Synel Visitor Management appears on the fire warden's dashboard alongside employees—no guests get left behind.
Multi-Site Operations
For organisations with multiple buildings or locations, head office can view evacuation status across all sites simultaneously from a central dashboard. Autofire reports can be customised to show data by individual site, department, last device used, or any other criteria you need.
Compliance Ready
Synel's evacuation system helps you meet the Fire Safety Order 2005 and prepares you for Martyn's Law requirements. Complete audit trails of every evacuation—drill or real—demonstrate your duty of care to employees, visitors, and regulators.
Related Solutions
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Visitor Management
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Martyn's Law and how does it affect my business?
Martyn's Law (Terrorism Protection of Premises Act) requires venues to have protective security measures.
Standard tier (200-799 capacity) requires documented procedures for evacuation, invacuation and lockdown. Enhanced tier (800+) requires physical access control, security measures and compliance with SIA requirements.
Synel solutions provide the real-time headcount, access control and audit trails needed for compliance.
Can access control integrate with fire alarm systems?
Yes. Synel access control systems connect directly to building fire panels via the Adam Link controller.
Upon alarm activation, the system automatically unlocks designated doors, gates and turnstiles. Power is cut to magnetic locks, ensuring they fail-safe (unlock) instantly.
The system also generates instant roll call reports showing who is on site, supporting fire safety compliance and speeding up evacuation accountability.
How does emergency mustering work?
Emergency mustering provides instant roll call during evacuations. When a fire alarm activates, the system generates a real-time list of everyone on site based on access control and clocking data.
Fire marshals can mark individuals as safe using mobile devices or muster point readers. A central dashboard shows who is accounted for (Safe), who has not checked in (At Risk), and last known locations.
This replaces paper-based roll calls with real-time, accurate headcount data.
Can visitors be included in fire evacuation reports?
Yes. Synergy Visitor automatically includes all signed-in guests in evacuation reports.
When the fire alarm triggers, fire wardens see a complete list of everyone on site. Staff and visitors, not just employees.
Visitor badges include QR codes for quick sign-out, and the system tracks exactly who is accounted for and who might still be inside.
How do turnstiles integrate with access control?
Synel provides the intelligence that makes turnstiles more than mechanical barriers. Our software controls access logic, anti-passback and shift enforcement.
Turnstiles connect to the fire panel for fail-safe evacuation. Arms drop automatically on alarm activation.
Entry data feeds both access control and time & attendance simultaneously, so clocking and door access happen in one action. Reader options include RFID, facial recognition, cards and QR codes for visitors.
See evacuation mustering in action
Book a demo to see how Synel can streamline your operations and deliver measurable ROI.
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