Pre-Plans: Visible Zoom Levels

Pre-Plans: Visible Zoom Levels

Purpose Statement

  1. This article explains how to configure visible zoom levels for annotations and pre-plan units within the Pre-Plan module.

  1. This feature allows pre-planners to control when specific map elements appear in Web Responder, improving clarity and reducing visual clutter during incident response.

Notes
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. 

Required Permissions

To access and edit visible zoom levels in pre-plans, users must have the following permissions:
  1. Pre-Plans - Read: View Pre-Plan permissions

  1. Pre-Plans - Edit: Edit Pre-Plan Permissions

  1. Pre-Plans - Publish: Required to make changes visible to responders

These permissions are typically assigned to all roles that will be creating Pre-Plans.

Video


Step by Step Guide

  1. After placing a Pre-Plan Unit or Annotation, direct your attention to the editing window, select the Unit or Annotation you wish to edit, and look in the window for Visible Zoom Level.




  1. Select the appropriate zoom level that you wish the Annotation or Unit to show.  The visible range for annotations is 1 - Country to 12 - Rooms, whereas the visible range for Units is 8 - Street to 12 - Rooms
Info
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

  1. Select    at the bottom of the menu to finish and enable the Pre-Plan information to be available to responders.
  2. Save the changes and once all edits are complete, click Publish to make the changes available in Web Responder.

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

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Q: Why isn’t my annotation visible in Web Responder?
A: Check the visible zoom level setting. It may be set too high for the current map zoom.

Q: Can I set different zoom levels for different types of annotations?
A: Yes. Each annotation or unit can have its own zoom level setting.

Q: What happens if I don’t set a zoom level?
A: The system may apply a default zoom level, which might not align with your visibility goals.

Q: How will this work with Regional Pre-Plans?
A: Once released, Regional Pre-Plans will restrict annotation visibility to specific zoom levels:





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