In the IAP at MVC, which zones are identified?

• A. hot, cold, warm zones
• B. red, yellow, green zones
• C. hot, warm, cool zones
• D. blue, red, yellow zones

Answer: (C)

At an MVC, organize the scene by hazard level to keep people safe and operations clear. The hot zone is the area immediately around the vehicle where the hazards live—fuel, fire, unstable components—so only responders with the proper protection and access control operate there. The warm zone sits between the hot zone and the outer area; it serves as the buffer for activities like decontamination, staging, and PPE transitions, reducing exposure as you move away from the hazards. The cool zone is the outer area where command, communications, rehab, and support functions occur, kept free from contamination and with controlled access. This hot–warm–cool setup provides a straightforward, standardized way to manage risk and coordinate at the scene. Color schemes or labels like red/yellow/green or blue/red/yellow aren’t the standard IAP zone names used for MVC incidents.