Which area of a USAR site is designated for staging, medical treatment, and administration?

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

Answer: (C)

In USAR operations, zones are created to separate hazards from support functions so responders can work safely and efficiently. The cold zone is the safe, controlled area where non-hazardous tasks are handled, including staging of resources, medical treatment, and administrative activities like incident command and paperwork. Keeping these activities in the cold zone protects people from hazards present closer to the collapse and keeps the flow of operations organized.

The hot zone is the immediate danger area around the collapse where rescuers must operate only with proper PPE. The warm zone lies between the hot and cold zones and is typically used for decontamination and transfer. The exclusion zone is a restricted area kept off-limits due to hazards.

So, staging, medical treatment, and administration belong in the cold zone.