Arizona ReadinessAction checklist

Power-Outage, Gate-Failure and Alarm/CCTV Disruption Checklist

A power-outage and security-system disruption checklist helps facilities and security teams coordinate life safety, communication, gate and door status, alarm and camera faults, access exceptions, backup power, manual records, patrol priorities and recovery. The emergency action and continuity plans should decide whether to remain open, restrict access, evacuate, shelter or suspend operations. Security personnel should not open electrical panels, connect generators, bypass life-safety devices or repair gates, alarms or cameras unless separately qualified and authorized. Emergency exits must remain usable even when electronic security fails. Keep override methods, camera gaps and access details restricted. Call 911 for fire, medical danger, trapped people, sparking equipment, suspected carbon monoxide or another immediate threat.

20 checks5 sectionsSources checked July 19, 2026
Why it matters

Use a system view, not a single-control view

A single outage can affect lighting, electronic locks, gates, elevators, fire systems, phones, cameras, alarms, refrigeration, climate control and business systems at once. The security issue is therefore part of a larger emergency and continuity decision.

Preplanned manual procedures reduce uncontrolled access and missing records while keeping guards away from electrical, mechanical and generator work that belongs to qualified personnel.

Before you begin

How to use this checklist

  1. Customize the checklist with facilities, life-safety, IT, business continuity, property management and security leaders for each site.
  2. Define which systems fail safe or fail secure, who may use overrides and how emergency egress and responder access are preserved.
  3. At disruption, establish incident leadership and account for life safety before adding temporary security coverage.
  4. Use restricted manual logs and approved alternate communications while systems are unavailable.
  5. Require qualified restoration, functional checks, data reconciliation and an after-action review before closing the event.
Interactive checklist

Mark each task from current evidence

Use Not applicable only when the item genuinely does not apply, and follow the site’s approved escalation process for any urgent condition.

Section 1 of 5

Immediate life safety and incident command

Determine whether the disruption creates an emergency before focusing on asset protection.

01A designated incident leader confirms the scope, affected areas and initial operating decision. Priority review item

Evidence to look for: The leader should coordinate facilities, fire or life safety, IT, security and business operations.

02Fire alarms, emergency lighting, exit signs, elevators, medical equipment and other life-safety impacts are checked by responsible qualified personnel. Priority review item

Evidence to look for: Security may report visible status but cannot certify or repair these systems.

03Exit routes and exit doors remain visible, unobstructed and usable from the occupied side. Priority review item

Evidence to look for: OSHA requires exit routes to remain available; electronic failure must not trap occupants.

04The site accounts for people in elevators, controlled rooms, parking gates and other locations where failure could trap someone. Priority review item

Evidence to look for: Do not force doors or attempt rescue outside training; use the elevator, fire or emergency service process.

Section 2 of 5

Communication and continuity decisions

Primary technology may be unavailable, so approved backups must carry clear decisions.

05Primary and backup communications connect incident leadership, security posts, facilities and emergency responders. Priority review item

Evidence to look for: Test radios, charged phones, runners or other approved methods and protect private contact information.

06Leadership has decided whether the site will continue, restrict, relocate, shelter or close operations. Priority review item

Evidence to look for: Base the decision on life safety, lighting, climate, accessibility, occupancy, critical services and expected duration, not security alone.

07Employees, occupants, tenants and visitors receive accurate instructions through accessible channels.

Evidence to look for: State what is affected, what action to take and where updates will come from without disclosing vulnerabilities.

08Emergency, utility, monitoring, gate, alarm, camera, IT and property contacts are current and reachable.

Evidence to look for: Use a controlled contact list with primary and alternate providers.

Section 3 of 5

Access, gates and manual accountability

Temporary access control must preserve emergency use and avoid exposing override methods.

09Each affected gate, door and credential reader has a confirmed status and an authorized operating instruction. Priority review item

Evidence to look for: Document open, closed or unknown at a high level; do not publish fail-state details or override methods.

10Responder access and fire lanes remain available even if normal vehicle gates fail. Priority review item

Evidence to look for: Only trained authorized personnel should use emergency releases or manual gate procedures.

11Manual visitor, contractor, employee and vehicle records use an approved minimum-data process.

Evidence to look for: Protect paper logs from public view and reconcile them after systems recover.

12Lost, shared or unverified credentials and manual exceptions require supervisor approval. Priority review item

Evidence to look for: Do not lower identity standards merely because the electronic system is unavailable.

Section 4 of 5

Alarms, cameras, patrols and backup power

Compensating measures should be risk-based, temporary and within training.

13Alarm, duress, intrusion, fire and monitoring outages are distinguished and routed to the correct system owner. Priority review item

Evidence to look for: Do not assume one failure means all systems are down or that a normal indicator proves recording or dispatch.

14Camera health, recording, time synchronization and retrieval status are confirmed by an authorized system owner.

Evidence to look for: Keep affected views, retention and blind spots restricted and do not claim coverage until tested.

15Temporary guard posts or patrols have clear objectives, communication, relief and safe lighting. Priority review item

Evidence to look for: Do not place a guard alone in a dark or inaccessible area merely to replace technology.

16Generators, batteries and other backup-power equipment are operated only by authorized qualified personnel under manufacturer and safety rules. Priority review item

Evidence to look for: Combustion generators create carbon-monoxide and fire hazards and must never be improvised indoors or near building openings.

Section 5 of 5

Restoration, reconciliation and review

Power returning does not prove that every security and life-safety function is normal.

17Qualified owners restore systems in a controlled sequence and communicate when each is ready for functional testing. Priority review item

Evidence to look for: Security should not reconnect equipment, reset panels or move gates outside assigned training.

18Life-safety, access, alarm, camera, communication and lighting systems receive their approved post-restoration checks. Priority review item

Evidence to look for: A powered indicator alone is not proof of complete operation, recording, notification or emergency function.

19Manual access, visitor, incident and patrol records are reconciled into authorized systems and retained correctly.

Evidence to look for: Protect personal data, document gaps and securely dispose of temporary copies under policy.

20An after-action review addresses cause, duration, communications, access, staffing, vendor response and corrective actions.

Evidence to look for: Update continuity plans, contact lists, spares, training and contracts based on evidence.

Current result

Complete the checklist to see a summary

Results are informational and do not certify compliance or eliminate risk.

Common mistakes

What can weaken the review

  • Assuming power restoration means alarms, cameras, locks and notifications all recovered correctly.
  • Locking or blocking an exit because electronic access control failed.
  • Publishing override methods, fail states, camera outages or temporary patrol positions.
  • Asking guards to connect generators, open panels, repair gates or reset life-safety systems without qualification.
  • Failing to reconcile paper logs and access exceptions after recovery.
Practical questions

Frequently asked questions

What is the first priority during a security-system outage?

Life safety comes first. Determine effects on alarms, emergency lighting, exits, elevators, medical or critical systems, communication and trapped people before adding temporary asset-protection measures.

Should electronic doors be locked manually during a power outage?

Only under the site-specific, qualified access and fire-safety plan. Required exits must remain usable, responder access must be preserved and override details must stay restricted.

Can guards operate a backup generator?

Only if the employer has specifically authorized and trained them for that equipment and site. Generators involve electrical, fuel, fire and carbon-monoxide hazards and should never be improvised.

How can a site compensate for a camera outage?

Leadership may restrict the area, change operations or add safe, supervised observation or patrol coverage based on risk. Do not place a guard alone in a dark or unsafe area or disclose the outage publicly.

What must be checked when power returns?

Qualified owners should verify life safety, lighting, access, alarms, cameras, recording and time, communications and notifications. Reconcile manual logs and keep failed controls in outage status until tested.

Sources and evidence baseline

These references support the general planning baseline. Site-specific decisions still require the responsible organization and appropriate qualified professionals.

  1. Emergency Action Plans and Exit RoutesOccupational Safety and Health Administration

    Emergency plans, essential operations, evacuation, accountability and exit-route planning.

  2. Emergency PlansReady.gov

    Business response, crisis communication, continuity and IT recovery planning.

  3. Power OutagesReady.gov

    Power-outage preparation, alternative power and carbon-monoxide safety.

  4. Infrastructure Dependency Primer: ImplementCybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency

    Backup power, continuity procedures and resilience options for infrastructure disruptions.

Source links checked: July 19, 2026

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