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Knowledge Center

Pre-Plans: Adding Levels

Purpose Statement

This article explains how to create, organize, edit, and delete Pre-Plan Levels within the First Due Pre-Planning module.

Pre-Plan Levels allow departments to organize occupancy information by individual building floors, operational disciplines, or specific emergency response considerations.

By separating information into different levels, departments can maintain detailed Pre-Plans while reducing unnecessary information displayed on the primary map, improving usability and allowing responders to quickly locate relevant information.

Background Information

Pre-Plan Levels provide a way to organize large amounts of information within an occupancy's Pre-Plan without overcrowding the main map.

Levels can be created to represent physical building floors or specialized operational information.

Examples of Building Levels:

  • Ground Level
  • Floor 1
  • Floor 2
  • Basement

Examples of Operational or Discipline-Specific Levels:

  • Hazmat
  • Active Shooter
  • Sprinkler Zones

The Ground Level is displayed by default when viewing a Pre-Plan map. For this reason, it is recommended that departments limit the amount of information displayed on the Ground Level and use additional levels for more detailed or specialized information.

This approach allows departments to maintain comprehensive Pre-Plans while providing responders with a more organized and efficient map interface.

Important: Departments should establish Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) or Standard Operating Guidelines (SOGs) for creating, naming, and organizing Pre-Plan Levels. Consistent practices help prevent confusion and conflicting information across occupancy records.

Required Permissions

Users must have appropriate access to the Pre-Planning module and the ability to create or modify Pre-Plans.

Depending on their responsibilities, users may need permissions to:

  • Access the Pre-Planning module.
  • View existing occupancies and Pre-Plans.
  • Create new Pre-Plans.
  • Edit existing Pre-Plans.
  • Add, modify, or delete Pre-Plan Levels.

Note: The specific First Due permission names and required access levels were not identified in the training transcript. Contact your First Due administrator to verify that your role has the necessary permissions.

Video

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Navigate to the Pre-Planning Module

  1. Click the First Due logo in the upper-left corner of the screen.
  2. Select Pre-Planning.
  3. Click Pre-Plans Map to open the Pre-Plan map.



 

Step 2: Access a Pre-Plan

There are two ways to access a Pre-Plan from the map.

Option 1: Create a New Occupancy

  1. Begin creating a new occupancy from the Pre-Plan map.
  2. Access the Pre-Plan associated with the new occupancy.



 

Option 2: Open an Existing Occupancy

  1. Locate the desired occupancy on the Pre-Plan map.
  2. Click the existing Occupancy Icon.
  3. Access the associated Pre-Plan.



 

Step 3: Open the Pre-Plan Levels Menu

  1. Once inside the Pre-Plan, locate the Pre-Plan Levels icon.
  2. Click the Pre-Plan Levels icon to open the level management interface.
  3. Review any existing levels associated with the Pre-Plan.


Step 4: Create Pre-Plan Levels

Pre-Plan Levels can be created to represent individual building floors or specialized operational information, such as Hazmat, Active Shooter, or Sprinkler Zones.

  1. From the Pre-Plan Levels menu, click Add.
  2. Enter a descriptive name for the new level.
  3. Click Save to create the level.
  4. The newly created level will appear in the Pre-Plan Levels list.
  5. To create additional levels, click Add again, enter the next level name, and click Save.
  6. Repeat this process until all desired levels have been created.

Example: A multi-story commercial occupancy may have the following levels:

  • Ground Level
  • Floor 2
  • Floor 3
  • Basement
  • Hazmat
  • Sprinkler Zones

Best Practice: Create separate levels for floor-specific or specialized operational information rather than placing all information on the Ground Level. This helps maintain a clear and organized map for responding personnel.


Step 5: Rearrange Pre-Plan Levels

Once levels have been created, they can be rearranged to establish the preferred display order.

  1. Open the Pre-Plan Levels menu.
  2. Locate the level you want to move.
  3. Find the drag handle (stacked lines) on the left side of the level.
  4. Click and hold the drag handle.
  5. Drag the level to the desired position in the list.
  6. Release the level in its new position.
  7. Review the updated level order.

The revised order will be reflected in the Pre-Plan Levels list.

Tip: Consider arranging levels in a consistent order, such as building floors first, followed by discipline-specific or specialized operational levels.
 


Step 6: Edit an Existing Pre-Plan Level

Users can modify the names of previously created levels.

  1. Open the Pre-Plan Levels menu.
  2. Locate the level you want to modify.
  3. Select the available Edit option for that level.
  4. Update the level name as needed.
  5. Complete the edit using the available interface controls.
  6. Verify that the updated name appears in the level list.

Best Practice: Use standardized naming conventions to ensure that personnel can easily identify the purpose of each level.
 


Step 7: Delete a Pre-Plan Level

Previously created levels can also be deleted when they are no longer needed.

  1. Open the Pre-Plan Levels menu.
  2. Locate the level you want to remove.
  3. Select the available Delete option.
  4. Follow any prompts presented by the system.
  5. Verify that the level has been removed from the list.

Important: Before deleting a level, verify that it is no longer needed. The training transcript does not specify whether deleting a level also removes associated map information, so confirm the impact before proceeding.
 

Use Case Examples

Example of a floor plan level.
 

 
Example of a level dedicated to fire protection systems and utility shut off locations.
 

Example of HAZMAT level with pre-defined action zones.
 
 
Example of incident action plan level for large scale incidents or planned events.
 

Best Practices

  • Keep the Ground Level Uncluttered: Because the Ground Level is displayed by default, limit it to information that responders need to see immediately.
  • Use Additional Levels for Detailed Information: Organize specialized information into separate levels to improve map readability.
  • Establish Department Standards: Develop SOPs or SOGs for creating, naming, and organizing Pre-Plan Levels.
  • Use Consistent Naming Conventions: Apply standardized names such as Floor 1, Floor 2, Basement, Hazmat, or Sprinkler Zones.
  • Organize Levels Logically: Arrange building floors and operational disciplines in an order that makes sense to responding personnel.
  • Avoid Unnecessary Levels: Although multiple levels can be created, only add levels that serve a clear operational purpose.
  • Review Existing Levels Before Adding New Ones: Avoid creating duplicate or overlapping levels.
  • Use Caution When Deleting Levels: Verify that a level is no longer required before removing it.
  • Consider Responder Usability: Organize levels so critical information can be located quickly during emergency operations.

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Why should I create additional Pre-Plan Levels?

Additional levels help organize large amounts of Pre-Plan information by building floor or operational discipline. This reduces map clutter and makes information easier to locate.

Which Pre-Plan Level is displayed by default?

The Ground Level is displayed by default when viewing a Pre-Plan map.

Can Pre-Plan Levels be used for information other than building floors?

Yes. Levels can be created for specific disciplines or operational purposes, including Hazmat, Active Shooter, and Sprinkler Zones.

How many Pre-Plan Levels can I create?

The training indicates that users can create as many levels as needed. No specific numerical limit was identified.

Can I change the order of my Pre-Plan Levels?

Yes. Use the drag handles on the left side of the level list to rearrange the levels into the desired order.

Can I rename a Pre-Plan Level after creating it?

Yes. Previously created levels can be edited to update their names.

Can I delete a Pre-Plan Level?

Yes. Created levels can be deleted using the available Delete option. Verify that the level is no longer needed before removing it.

Why is my Ground Level map difficult to read?

Too much information may be displayed on the Ground Level. Consider creating additional levels to separate specialized or floor-specific information.

Should my department establish naming conventions for Pre-Plan Levels?

Yes. Departments are strongly encouraged to establish SOPs or SOGs for naming and organizing levels to maintain consistency and prevent confusion.

Do I need to create a separate occupancy for each floor of a building?

No. Pre-Plan Levels allow multiple floors to be represented within a single occupancy's Pre-Plan.