FEMA 453 Design Guidance for Shelters and Safe Rooms

elated and sequential activities. Chief among these are (1)
immediate (or gross) decontamination of persons exposed
to toxic/hazardous substances; (2) continual decontamination
of first responders so that they can perform their essential
functions; (3) decontamination of animals in service to first
responders; (4) continual decontamination of response
equipment and vehicles; (5) secondary, or definitive, decontamination
of victims at medical treatment facilities to enable
medical treatment and protect the facility environment; (6) decontamination
of facilities (public infrastructure, business and
residential structures); and (7) environmental (outdoor) decontamination
supporting recovery and remediation.
1.10.1 containment Zones
There are three zones of containment after an event:
m Hot Zone (the area where the agent or contamination is in
high concentration and high exposure, typically an ellipse or
cone extending downwind from the release)
m Warm Zone (the area where the agent or contamination is in
low concentration or minimal exposure, typically a half circle
in the above wind direction)
m Cold Zone (those areas outside of the Hot and Warm zones
that have not been exposed to the agent or contamination)
The three zones and staging areas are shown in Figure 1-13.
design considerations
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