Pre-Plans: Adding Levels
Purpose Statement
This article demonstrates how to create and organize Levels within
a Pre-Plan.
Levels allow departments to separate map data by floor, function,
or incident type, improving clarity and operational efficiency for
responders.
Background Information
Levels are customizable map layers within a Pre-Plan.
They can represent:
- Building floors (e.g., Basement, Floor 1, Roof)
- Functional layers (e.g., Fire Protection, Utility Shutoffs)
- Incident-specific views (e.g., HAZMAT, MCI, Active Shooter)
Using levels helps responders quickly access relevant
information based on the structure or incident type. Levels can be created for both geographic structure and
operational needs, such as EMS access, evacuation zones, or tactical layouts.
Required Permissions
To create and manage levels in Pre-Plans, users must have
the following permissions:
- Pre-Plans - Read
- Pre-Plans - Edit
- Pre-Plans - Publish
These permissions are typically assigned to all roles that
will be creating Pre-Plans.
Video
Step-by-Step Guide
1. After choosing to edit a pre-plan, click on the slider icon to create levels for the selected occupancy.
Levels can be made for geographic or Building Levels (Floors 1, 2, 3, or Basement) but Levels can also be created for specific call types or events (General EMS, HAZMAT, MCI or Active Shooter)
'
2. Assign a name to the level.
3. Click and drag the stack icon to change the order in which levels appear in the map menu.
4. The ground level is shared between all occupancies. Any unit or annotation placed on the ground level is visible at all times regardless of the occupancy selected.
5. Example of a floor plan level.
6. Example of a level dedicated to fire protection systems and utility shut off locations.
7. Example of HAZMAT level with pre-defined action zones.
8. Example of incident action plan level for large scale incidents or planned events.
Best Practices
Do's
- Use clear, standardized naming conventions for levels across all pre-plans in your department to ensure consistency and ease of navigation.
- Create discipline-specific levels (EMS, Hazmat, Active Shooter) for occupancies that may require specialized response protocols.
- Organize floor-based levels in logical order (Basement, Ground, Floor 1, Floor 2) to match the physical structure of the building.
- Assign only relevant information to each level to reduce visual clutter and improve information accessibility during emergency response.
- Review and update level content regularly as building configurations or departmental protocols change.
- Test level visibility with field users to ensure the information displayed meets operational needs.
Don'ts
- Don't create redundant levels with overlapping information that could confuse responders during an emergency.
- Don't delete the "Ground" level, as it serves as the mandatory base layer for all pre-plans.
- Don't use vague or inconsistent level names that may be unclear to responders unfamiliar with the specific occupancy.
- Don't overload individual levels with excessive annotations or icons that defeat the purpose of segmenting information.
- Don't forget to communicate new level structures to all personnel who will be accessing the pre-plans in the field.
Tips & Recommendations
- For multi-story buildings, consider creating both floor-based levels and discipline-specific levels to maximize flexibility during different incident types.
- When creating discipline-specific levels, focus on displaying only the information critical to that type of response (e.g., Knox Box locations and elevators for EMS, hazmat storage areas for Hazmat incidents).
- Use the reordering feature to place the most frequently accessed levels at the top of the list for quicker navigation.
- Coordinate with other departments (Fire Prevention, Training, Operations) to ensure level naming and content align with departmental standards and training materials.
- Consider creating a department-wide style guide for pre-plan levels to maintain consistency across all pre-planned occupancies.
Troubleshooting & FAQs
Q: Why can’t I see annotations from another level?
A: Switch to the correct level using the Level Manager. Annotations are only
visible on their assigned level.
Q: Can I rename or delete a level?
A: Yes. Use the Level Manager to rename or remove levels, but be
cautious—deleting a level removes all associated annotations.
Q: Are levels shared across occupancies?
A: Only the Ground Level is shared. All other levels are specific to
the selected occupancy.
Q: Can I use levels for non-structural purposes?
A: Absolutely. Levels can represent incident types, zones, or event
layouts.
Related Articles
Related Articles
Regional Pre-Planning
Purpose To explain the how to use Regional Preplanning to preplan a higher and broader geographic area. Sometimes you want to pre-plan a large event, something not attached to a single occupancy, or units or annotations that you want visible at a ...Pre-Plans: Adding Annotations
Purpose Statement This article demonstrates how to add and configure the various annotation tools available in the Pre-Plan editor. Annotations allow users to visually enhance Pre-Plans with custom shapes, text, measurements, and directional ...Pre-Plans: Adding HAZMATs
Purpose Statement This article demonstrates how to add Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) units to a Pre-Plan using the Pre-Plan editor. Properly documenting HAZMATs ensures responders have access to critical chemical data, location, and safety information ...Pre-Plans: Expiring Items
Purpose Statement The Expiring Items feature within the Pre-Plan module allows administrators to manage temporary or time-sensitive pre-plan elements that have predetermined expiration dates. This functionality ensures that temporary conditions, such ...Pre-Plans: Managing Contacts
Purpose Statement The Contacts section within pre-plans allows administrators and authorized personnel to manage critical contact information for properties, including property ownership details and individual contacts. This information is essential ...