Which of the following is a characteristic of the hot zone?

The hot zone is the area closest to a hazardous material incident where the highest levels of contamination are present. One of its defining characteristics is that it requires full personal protective equipment. This is essential to protect responders from exposure to dangerous substances that may be present in this area. Personnel entering the hot zone are at risk of contamination from hazardous materials, which is why they must wear specialized gear that provides necessary protection, such as hazmat suits, gloves, and respiratory protection.

The other options do not accurately describe the hot zone. For instance, a low risk of contamination would not be an accurate feature of the hot zone given its high level of hazard. Personnel staging typically occurs in the warm zone, which serves as a transition area between the hot and cold zones, while incident command is usually established outside the hot zone in the cold zone to ensure operations can be managed safely.