What Is a Red Zone?

The term "red zone" signals the location of the highest level of threat. It applies, for example, to the most dangerous sector in a war zone. A red zone threat is not necessarily a threat to life. In sports, for example, a red zone is a location where the actions and skills of the participants can and are likely to determine the outcome. The threat is that of loss of the competition.

War

• After the United States invaded Iraq in 2003, the term "red zone" designated the areas presenting the greatest danger for citizens of the United States and its allies. The small high-security sector in Baghdad was the green zone. U.S. journalist Steven Vincent, killed in Basra, was the author of the blog and the book "In the Red Zone: A Journey Into the Soul of Iraq."

Football (American Style)

• In American football, there is a red zone at each end of the field, from the goal line to the 20-yard line. An offensive unit of a team moving forward into the red zone expects to score. A team that repeatedly fails is likely to have difficulty winning games. Losses result in player and, eventually, coaching changes.

  The term red zone is ubiquitous in the world of football. NFL Red Zone is the television station of the National Football League. Stores named Red Zone support football fans, including those of the University of Nebraska and the University of Georgia.

Environment

• A red zone is also an area that has suffered an environmental catastrophe. The area around Verdun in northeastern France suffered a horrifying physical and environmental catastrophe during World War I. The Battle of Verdun, which continued for 10 months, left the area contaminated with hundreds of thousands of corpses and unexploded ordnance. Following the war, the French government designated two million acres around Verdun as a Zone Rouge, or red zone, prohibiting housing, farming and forestry. Some restrictions still remain in effect.

Disaster Prevention and Recovery

• Some companies working in the fields of disaster prevention and recovery adopt military terminology to the extent of including "red zone" in their names. RedZone Robotics, for example, simplifies waste water management for municipalities by providing pipeline inspection products and services. RedZone Technologies provides security, disaster recovery, and infrastructure integration services to companies in highly regulated and/or complex information technology industries. RedZone Software, developing applications for clients in the public sector, simplifies disaster planning and response.

Habitat Preservation

• People working to protect an ecosystem may designate the target area of their efforts as a red zone. For example, the Eyak strive to preserve the habitat of the wild salmon in the red zone of the Copper River and Prince William Sound in Alaska.

Video and Action Games

• Zyrinx developed a video game published by Time Warner Interactive called Red Zone. The title refers to the condition of the world after a nuclear catastrophe. In the story, a dictator with nuclear arms threatens the world with Armageddon. To eliminate this threat, the gamer flies an AH-64B Apache fighter helicopter and leads a team of commandos.

  Red Zone Adventures offers live action games for wannabe spies and other thrill seekers. Games include laser tag, urban golf, laser maze and light space play floor.

Finances

• In the field of finance, red zone refers to a financial plan with a funding problem classified as critical. According to a survey by Segal, between 2008 and 2009, the status of a significant number of multi-employer pension plans moved from the healthy green zone, through the endangered status (yellow) zone and into the red zone.