The map controls are located in the top left corner of the map. The plus sign is used to zoom in on the map, and the minus sign is used to zoom out. Users can also zoom in and out with the track wheel on the mouse by moving up to zoom in and down to zoom out.
The "i" button opens the map-cache box to update the maps. The maps are up to date if the box beside either the base map or address is blue. If it's red, it'll say: sync now, so clicking on the box will update the maps. Users can close the box, and the system will keep updating the maps in the background as the addresses can take a while to sync.
NOTE: We suggest syncing your maps once a week to ensure that you have the most current maps. Mobile users should cache their maps if they know they are going to enter an area with bad connections.
The next button is the layers button with the different layers your map admin has set up for users to turn on and off as needed.
For example, SOMA creates several layers such as calls and units to display on the map. Layers like addresses might take up too much space on the map, so users may want to turn this layer off by clicking on the eye icon, which will change the icon to an eye with a line through it, letting you know that the layer is turned off.
You can change the appearance of the base map. The default is this night vector map, but it can be changed to the Streets view, which is lighter. Mobile users prefer the night one, so it's not interfering with their driving.
Users on a 911 call with ANI/ALI may see the RapidSOS button appear on the map, which can be clicked on to get an updated location for the caller from RapidSOS, which is more accurate than the wireless provider. This is because it uses the actual GPS chip from the phone and wireless way stations like Uber and Door Dash do. This button can be clicked for up to 10 minutes after the call ends as RapidSOS checks for an update every 3-5 seconds as long as the phone has moved at least 10 meters or 33 feet.
There are a few more options at the bottom middle of the screen.
Click on Search and enter a place such as McDonald's, and the system will locate the matching ones in your area, but users can search for anywhere in the world by typing in a little bit more information, such as the city name.
Locations from the local map will have a pin icon, while ones from outside the area will have a globe. The system will zoom into the location on the map once the entry is clicked.
Click on View to change the map from street view to aerial imagery to see the buildings, etc. Users will need to click View each time they log in if they always want to see the imagery.
Click on Dispatch to return to the default view that the administrator set up in our admin settings.
Clicking on Call zooms into the location of the call the User has joined.
Mobile users can click on Unit to zoom into their location.
There are several types of information interacting with the map.
Users can click on various icons to look at data contained in the layers, such as addresses, calls, or units. A details box will appear with the information, and if there are multiple layers with data, users can use the page controls at the top of the box to go between the different layers.
Click on the magnifying glass icon at the bottom left to zoom into the feature on the map. Then, close the box by clicking on the X.