Purpose Statement

The Map Technology and Layers menu in Web Responder allows users to control which operational information is displayed on the map.

Users can show, hide, and filter map data such as addresses, incidents, units, pre-plan units, traffic, fire stations, hydrants, annotations, and regional pre-plans. When using ArcGIS, departments can also display additional configured ArcGIS layers.

Background Information

The Map Technology and Layers menu is available from the Web Responder map and opens as a menu on the right side of the screen.

The available controls allow users to customize the map based on the information needed during an operation. Map layers can be enabled or disabled without removing the underlying data.

Web Responder supports both Google Maps and ArcGIS. The standard map layer options are the same between the two map technologies. ArcGIS can also contain additional layers configured by the department.

Required Permissions

• None

Video

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Open Map Technology and Layers

• Select Map Layers

• Toggle visibility for:

  • Primary Addresses (parent addresses)

  • Secondary Addresses (suites, apartments, sub-addresses)

  • Address Tags (yellow address labels on the map)

  • Incident Icons

  • Units

  • Pre-Planned Units (Knox Box Icons, HAZMATS, FDCs Etc)

  • Traffic (Based on Google Traffic Feed)

  • Fire Stations

  • Hydrants

  • Annotations (drawing made on the map for Pre-Plans)

2. Show, Hide, and Filter Units

Filtering Options

• Filter Units by:

  • Unit type

  • Agency

• Select Reset to show all units again

3. Show, Hide, and Filter Pre-Plan Units

Pre-Planned Unit Filtering

• Open the filter

• Search for a specific item (e.g., FDC)

• Select the item to display only matching pre-plan units

• Select Reset to restore all pre-planned units

4. Use Regional Pre-Planning Layers

• Select Regional Pre-Planning

• Choose a layer from:

  • My Department

  • Neighboring departments (if data sharing is enabled)

• Select the layer to display it on the map

• Select the layer again to turn it off

5. Switch to ArcGIS

Select ArcGIS to change the map technology.

The standard map layer section in ArcGIS contains the same options available when using Google Maps.

Additional ArcGIS layers configured for the department appear at the bottom of the layer options.

6. Display Additional ArcGIS Layers

If additional ArcGIS layers have been configured for the department, they can be displayed from the ArcGIS map.

These layers can contain information such as:

• Trails
• Hydrants
• Hydrant water mains
• Underground electrical shutoffs
• Predetermined helispots

Available layers depend on the ArcGIS resources configured for the department.

Some ArcGIS layers may use open-source data, while others may require a subscription.

7. Manage ArcGIS Layers

Select Manage Layers to access the area where administrators can add additional ArcGIS layers.

Best Practices

Do:

• Enable only the map layers needed for the current operation to keep important information easy to identify.
• Use Filters when you need to focus on specific unit or pre-plan unit types.
• Select Reset after filtering when you need to return to the full unit or pre-plan unit display.
• Zoom out when viewing traffic, Regional Pre-Plan layers, or other information that covers a broad geographic area.
• Review available Regional Pre-Plan layers when operating in areas covered by department or shared client data.

Don't:

• Don't turn off Primary Addresses if you need to view Secondary Addresses. Primary Addresses must be enabled before Secondary Addresses can display.
• Don't assume a missing unit means the unit is unavailable. Check the active unit filter to verify that the unit type has not been filtered out.
• Don't assume a missing pre-plan unit has been removed from the pre-plan. Verify the Pre-Plan Units setting and any active filters.
• Don't assume every department has the same additional ArcGIS layers. Available layers depend on the department's ArcGIS configuration.

Tips:

• Primary Addresses are parent addresses, while Secondary Addresses are child addresses associated with the primary address.
• Address Tags are highlighted text areas displayed over addresses and are dependent on Primary Addresses being enabled.
• Unit filters can be useful when the map contains multiple apparatus types and only a specific type needs to be viewed.
• Pre-Plan Unit filters can isolate specific items, such as FDCs, when reviewing pre-plan information.
• Departments using client data sharing may have access to Regional Pre-Plan layers from neighboring departments.
• Additional ArcGIS layers can provide operational information beyond the standard First Due map layers, depending on what has been configured by an administrator.

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Why can't I display Secondary Addresses?

Verify that Primary Addresses is enabled. Primary Addresses must be turned on before Secondary Addresses can be displayed.

Why did the Address Tags option disappear?

Address Tags are dependent on Primary Addresses. When Primary Addresses are disabled, the Address Tags option is no longer displayed.

Why can't I see any units after applying a filter?

There may not be any currently displayed units matching the selected unit type. Select Filter, then Reset to remove the filter and restore the normal unit display.

Why are only certain pre-plan units displayed?

A Pre-Plan Unit filter may be active. Select Filter, then Reset to restore all available pre-plan units.

Why don't I see Regional Pre-Plan information on the map after enabling a layer?

Try zooming out to view the geographic area covered by the Regional Pre-Plan layer.

Can I view Regional Pre-Plans from another department?

The transcript indicates that layers from neighboring departments can be selected when the department has client data sharing enabled and is sharing data with that department.

Why don't I see additional ArcGIS layers?

Additional ArcGIS layers only appear when they have been added to the department's ArcGIS configuration.

Who can add additional ArcGIS layers?

The source material identifies Manage Layers as the area where an administrator can add additional ArcGIS layers.

Are all ArcGIS layers free to use?

No. Some ArcGIS layers may be open source, while others may require a subscription.

Related Articles

• Pre-Plans: Managing ArcGIS Layers.