Which function should occur in the cold zone?

• A. Personnel staging
• B. Incident command post
• C. Decontamination corridor
• D. Medical triage

Answer: (A)

In hazmat operations, zones are kept separate by contamination level, with the cold zone being the clean area used for nonhazardous tasks and support functions. Staging resources in the cold zone makes the most sense because it keeps equipment and personnel clean while they’re being gathered and prepared for assignment. This clean, controlled space allows rapid deployment and coordination without risking spreading contamination. By contrast, decontamination activities belong in the warm zone, where exposed personnel and gear are cleaned before moving to cleaner areas, and medical triage typically occurs at or near the warm zone boundary to protect responders and prevent contamination of the cold zone. So, the function that should occur in the cold zone is the staging of personnel and equipment.