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Configure Activation Levels

Activation Levels are facility-specific templates that describe how deeply the Hospital Incident Management Team (HIMT) should expand. Your organization can give each level a locally meaningful name.

An Activation Level does not assign personnel. When the Incident Commander selects None for the Incident Response Guide on Create Incident, HICSNow requires an Activation Level and uses it to define the HIMT depth. If an IRG is selected, Activation Level is unavailable because the IRG defines the activated roles. The Incident Commander remains responsible for staffing activated positions and adjusting the organization as conditions change.

Who can manage Activation Levels​

  • Tenant Administrators can manage Activation Levels for every facility in their organization.
  • Facility Administrators can manage Activation Levels only for facilities they administer.

Open Activation Levels​

  1. Open the administrative workspace.
  2. Under Configuration, select HICS Configuration.
  3. Select the facility.
  4. Locate the Activation Levels card.

Create an Activation Level​

  1. Select Create Activation Level.
  2. Enter the Activation level name used by your organization.
  3. Select the HIMT depth:
    • Incident Command - Incident Commander only.
    • Command Staff - Incident Commander, Public Information Officer, Liaison Officer, and Safety Officer.
    • Command and General Staff - Command Staff plus the four Section Chiefs.
    • Branch and Unit Leadership - Command and General Staff plus standard Branch Directors and Unit Leaders.
    • Full HIMT - all standard assignable HICS positions.
  4. Select Save.

The saved level appears on the card with its configured HIMT depth and a short description.

Edit an Activation Level​

  1. Find the level on the Activation Levels card.
  2. Select Edit.
  3. Change the name or HIMT depth.
  4. Select Save.

HICSNow records Activation Level creation and editing in the facility audit history.

Inactivate or reactivate an Activation Level​

Inactivate a level when it should remain in history but should not be used for new incidents.

  1. Find the level on the Activation Levels card.
  2. Select Edit.
  3. Clear Activation Level is active.
  4. Select Save.

The level remains on the card with an Inactive status and is no longer available on Create Incident. Incidents that already use the level retain their original activation history.

To make the level available for future incidents again, select Edit, check Activation Level is active, and select Save. HICSNow records both status changes in audit history.

Delete an Activation Level​

  1. Find the level on the Activation Levels card.
  2. Select Edit.
  3. Select Delete in the Edit Activation Level form.
  4. Review the permanent-deletion warning.
  5. Select Delete Activation Level to confirm.

Deleting an unused Activation Level cannot be undone. HICSNow records the deleted level name, HIMT depth, facility, and administrator in audit history. An Activation Level already used by an incident cannot be deleted because its historical reference must remain intact.

Important behavior​

  • Names must be unique within the selected facility.
  • Activation Levels for one facility are not shared automatically with another facility.
  • Only active Activation Levels are offered when a new incident is created.
  • Inactive levels remain visible in HICS Configuration and can be reactivated.
  • Configuring a depth does not assign Users to HICS Roles or place personnel into incident positions.
  • The selected Activation Level defines the incident's activated HIMT depth when no IRG is used.
  • Incident Response Guides and Activation Levels cannot be selected together. A selected IRG remains the sole activation template.
  • HICSNow preserves the selected level and exact activated-role list with the incident, so later configuration edits do not rewrite incident history.
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