Protective Action Zone

A Protective Action Zone (PAZ) is a designated area established during hazardous materials or CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear) incidents where specific protective measures are implemented to safeguard responders and the public. It typically surrounds the contamination or release site and is distinct from Hot, Warm, and Cold Zones used in incident command systems (ICS). Not to be confused with Isolation Zones, PAZ focuses on proactive safety actions such as evacuation or shelter-in-place orders based on threat assessment and plume modeling.