ACT 235 Emergency Response 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When an officer-involved shooting occurs, what is the FIRST priority before rendering aid to a wounded subject?
- Notify supervisors immediately
- Secure the scene and ensure no additional threats exist (Correct answer)
- Preserve evidence at the scene
- Begin CPR on the wounded subject
Correct answer: Secure the scene and ensure no additional threats exist
The scene must be secured and additional threats neutralized before rendering aid to prevent further casualties.
Question 2: Under ACT 235, what does the term 'duty to render aid' require of a lethal weapons officer after a use-of-force incident?
- Transport the victim to the hospital personally
- Provide or summon emergency medical assistance as soon as it is safe to do so (Correct answer)
- Perform advanced surgical procedures if trained
- Wait for EMS to arrive before assessing the victim
Correct answer: Provide or summon emergency medical assistance as soon as it is safe to do so
Officers are legally obligated to call for or provide basic emergency aid once the scene is safe, even to subjects they have used force against.
Question 3: A suspect is shot and is bleeding severely. What hemorrhage control technique is most effective for an extremity wound?
- Direct pressure with a clean cloth only
- Elevation of the limb above heart level
- Application of a tourniquet proximal to the wound (Correct answer)
- Packing the wound with sterile gauze and leaving it open
Correct answer: Application of a tourniquet proximal to the wound
A tourniquet placed proximal (above) the wound on an extremity is the fastest and most effective method to control severe limb hemorrhage.
Question 4: Which radio transmission format is standard when requesting emergency medical services after a shooting incident?
- Give a detailed narrative of the entire encounter first
- State location, number of victims, and nature of injuries clearly and concisely (Correct answer)
- Use coded language only to avoid public panic
- Wait until a supervisor arrives to make the call
Correct answer: State location, number of victims, and nature of injuries clearly and concisely
Dispatchers need location, victim count, and injury type immediately to send appropriate resources without delay.
Question 5: When performing a tactical withdrawal after a shooting incident, an officer should move to:
- The nearest populated area for witnesses
- A position of cover while maintaining observation of the threat area (Correct answer)
- The command post regardless of distance
- Directly toward the downed subject to assess injuries
Correct answer: A position of cover while maintaining observation of the threat area
Cover provides ballistic protection while allowing the officer to maintain situational awareness until the scene is confirmed safe.
Question 6: In an active shooter scenario, what is the recommended civilian emergency response protocol that officers should know to advise bystanders?
- Hide and wait for officers to arrive
- Run, Hide, Fight — in that priority order (Correct answer)
- Freeze in place to avoid drawing attention
- Call 911 before taking any other action
Correct answer: Run, Hide, Fight — in that priority order
The Run-Hide-Fight protocol is the nationally recognized framework taught to civilians for surviving active shooter events.
Question 7: After discharging a firearm in the line of duty, an officer experiences tunnel vision and auditory exclusion. These symptoms are caused by:
- Poor firearms training and inexperience
- Acute stress response and adrenaline release during a life-threatening event (Correct answer)
- Equipment malfunction affecting hearing
- Deliberate focus techniques learned in training
Correct answer: Acute stress response and adrenaline release during a life-threatening event
Tunnel vision and auditory exclusion are well-documented physiological stress responses caused by adrenaline during high-threat encounters.
ACT 235 Emergency Response 2
When an officer-involved shooting occurs, what is the FIRST priority before rendering aid to a wounded subject?