During a HazMat response, medical personnel work in the Cold zone.

• A. Hot zone
• B. Cold zone
• C. Warm zone
• D. Exclusion zone

Answer: (B)

In HazMat situations, the scene is split into zones to protect responders and limit the spread of contamination. The cold zone is the safe area outside the contaminated zones where medical care and incident management occur without exposure to hazardous agents. The hot zone is the area where the hazard is present, requiring full protective gear and restricted access. The warm zone surrounds the hot zone and contains decontamination activities and transitions into the cold zone. The term exclusion zone is often used interchangeably with the hot zone to emphasize that entry is prohibited without proper protection. Medical personnel work in the cold zone because it provides a contamination-free space to treat patients and coordinate the response after decontamination has begun.