Which statement about cold zone vs warm zone is true?

• A. Cold zone is where decontamination occurs; warm zone houses the incident command post
• B. Cold zone houses the incident command post; warm zone is where decontamination takes place
• C. Cold zone is where patients are triaged; warm zone stores EMS equipment
• D. Cold zone is where the hazard begins

Answer: (B)

HazMat scene organization uses zones to limit exposure and control contamination. The cold zone is the safest area and typically hosts the incident command post and medical staging or treatment areas away from the hazard. The warm zone sits between the hot zone and the cold zone and is the area where decontamination takes place and personnel transition between protective gear states. The hot zone contains the actual hazard and is restricted to trained responders with appropriate PPE.

Therefore, the statement that cold zone houses the incident command post and the warm zone is where decontamination occurs aligns with how these zones are designed to function. The other ideas mix up where decontamination happens, where the command post is located, or where the hazard is, which is not correct.