A digital telephone or an analog telephone system with VOIP conversion is linked into the surveillance system and transmissions therefrom are treated as an event requiring an emergency response from the system. The system supports integration of emergency telephone systems into a multi-media surveillance system to permit comprehensive and multiple responses to an event triggered by receipt of the emergency phone call transmission. The telephone transmission is captured and transmitted to a surveillance system processor. Upon receipt, the system can react with any of numerous responses. First, the telephone call is transmitted to a manned station and may be answered in the normal fashion with a live voice response. The receipt of the call also activates the entire system in the same manner as a triggering signal from any other sensor or appliance. In addition, various other responses may be activated, either manually or in a pre-programmed hierarchy.