Important Note:

Setting the Visible Zoom Level enables the pre-planner to dictate at what zoom level certain items appear and disappear on the users screen in the web view. It is important to note that whatever zoom level is chosen, the set item will be visible at that zoom level and closer.  The visible zoom level for occupancy-associated preplan units and annotations in the mobile app is controlled in the Zoom Level Settings section in this KBA - Mobile app: App Settings

Info:

The following are examples of each Visible Zoom Level setting
1 - Country

2 - Metropolitan Area

3 - Cities

4 - City

5 - Town

6 - Neighborhood

7 - Streets

8 - Street

9 – Buildings

10 - Building

11 - House

12 - Rooms

Best Practices

Do's:

• Set broader contextual items (building outlines, parking areas, access points) to appear at wider zoom levels (8-10) so responders see them during approach and size-up
• Configure detailed interior information (room annotations, specific hazards, equipment locations) to appear only at closer zoom levels (11-12) to prevent visual clutter
• Test your zoom level settings by zooming in and out on the map before publishing to ensure items appear as intended
• Use consistent zoom level strategies across similar pre-plans in your jurisdiction for predictable user experience
• Consider the operational phases of a response when setting zoom levels—what information is needed during approach versus interior operations

Don'ts:

• Don't set all annotations to the same zoom level, as this defeats the purpose of the feature and creates screen clutter
• Don't configure critical safety information (like hazmat locations or structural concerns) to appear only at the closest zoom level where it might be missed
• Don't forget to click "Update" after adjusting each item's zoom level before moving to the next item
• Don't skip the final "Publish" step, as unpublished changes won't be visible to responders in the field
• Don't set pre-plan units at zoom levels outside the valid range (8-12), as this will not function properly

Tips & Recommendations:

• Use zoom level 8 (Street) for general building information and primary access points that responders need when first arriving on scene
• Reserve zoom levels 11-12 (Rooms) for detailed interior layouts, specific room hazards, and equipment placement
• Use zoom level 9-10 for intermediate details like utility shutoffs, fire department connections, and exterior hazards
• Group related annotations at the same zoom level to ensure complete information appears together
• Document your zoom level strategy in your pre-planning SOPs to ensure consistency across different pre-planners

Related Articles

• Pre-Plans: Address Details
• Pre-Plans: Editing Occupancy Details
• Pre-Plans: Units
• Pre-Plans: Managing Contacts
• Pre-Plans: Managing Attachments
• Pre-Plans: Adding Annotations