Mike Ulriksen is trying to figure out how to secure the Uniplex in the event of a fire, train derailment, dangerous person or other emergency - a tall order as the building has more than 50 doors.

It's not practical - or safe - for staff to manually lock them all in an emergency, and not cost effective to install an automatic locking system, said Ulriksen, the city's Leisure Services director.

"If you were to go around, we've got a substantial amount of doors. Between the convention centre, our two arena side entrances, we've got back entrances, we've got the curling rink, the main entrance here, some loading doors, some side doors, so there's a lot of doors a guy's got to go and check and lock up."

The answer may be a mass notification system for Uniplex staff and patrons and the high school, which is able to implement its own lockdown. 

Humboldt city staff plan to investigate the IceSoft mass notification app being tested by the City of Warman in the new year. They've also had demonstrations from other groups.

The idea is to help staff and patrons get out of danger, notify the school division and figure out whether people should leave the building or barricade themselves.

Ulriksen is also thinking about what the city can do before it sets up a mass notification system.

"The big thing right now is, what do we do now. We don't have another system in place, so what do we do now with what resources we do have, and where are we lacking and what can we build off from there?"