1. A system for detecting and responding to emergency events occurring in a predetermined local area, comprising a plurality of local emergency detection and response units to be positioned in the local area, each local emergency detection and response unit including one or more local sensing agents and a local detection manager, the local detection manager including a local processor, each local sensing agent being operable to detect a change in a given emergency factor in the local area and to convey data representative of the change in the emergency factor, the detection manager being operable to receive the data and to assign a value to the emergency factor according to the data, and a local interface agent for issuing, on a data path, one or more event status signals including the assigned value for the emergency factor, a central location controller unit including a central processor and a central interface agent in communication with the local interface agent on the data path to receive the event status messages therefrom, each local emergency detection and response unit including a local emergency event response agent for responding to at least one person in or near the local area, the central location controller unit and/or the local emergency detection and response unit being operable for classifying the assigned value of the emergency function to form an assigned value classification and initiating the local emergency event response agent to implement a response protocol according to the assigned value classification, the response protocol including dispatching a message to the person and recording a response therefrom, the central processor including a ranking agent for ranking status signals being received from more than one local emergency detection and response unit in the same local area.