PPCT DEFENSIVE TACTICS PROFESSIONAL
OFFICER SAFETY PREP QUESTIONS AND
ACCURATE ANSWERS GRADED A+
●● Parasympathetic Nervous system and Sympathetic Nervous system
Answer: Two branches of autonomic nervous system
●● Parasympathetic Nervous system
Answer: (PNS) Allows us to rest and digest, allows us to save energy,
blood pressure decreases, heart beats slower with less force
●● Sympathetic Nervous System
Answer: Balance between flight or fight - releases 2 hormones
epinephrine and nor epinephrine - vital to stress response - uses more
energy, blood pressure increases, heart beats faster
●● SNS Triggers
Answer: Objective threat perceptions, objective fear perceptions,
physical exhaustion and startle response
●● Objective Threat Perceptions
,Answer: includes the fact that the threat is within close proximity, the
time needed to control the threat is minimal, the person is not confident
with his or her abilities or the threat is a new experience
●● Objective Fear Perceptions
Answer: Include a person having frear or death, injury, killin, incorrect
decision making, failure or simply fear itself
●● Physical Exhaustion
Answer: caused by either depletion of the adenosine triphosphotel (ATP)
fuel system or inadequate nutrition, can activate SNS - many officers
will escalate use of force upon coming exhausted
●● Startle response
Answer: if you encouter a threat that is spontaneous, unexpected, or
within close proximity or if there is an unexpected loud noise or an
unexpected impact or touch it can cause this
●● Adrenal Glands
Answer: two small structures situated one atop each kidney
●● SNS Activation
Answer: Several changes to the body including increased adrenal
activity which will effect the heart rate and respiration. Also affects the
,blood vessles - vascular flow is re-directed away from the extremities,
contour of eye lens changes, pupils dilate
●● Mental states in combat
Answer: Combat anxiety, survival stress, combat stress
●● Combat anxiety
Answer: the anticipation of danger - may lead to a gradual deterioration
of both mental and physical skills
●● survival stress
Answer: deadly force threat perception that initiates the SNS discharge
●● combat stress
Answer: post event mental and physiological symptions that are a result
of the sns activation and the sudden return to the pns
●● PNS Backlash
Answer: may distort the memory - deals with the sudeden treturn to the
PNS after the result of SNS activation
●● backlash triggers
, Answer: the perception that the threat has diminished, the perception
there has been an injury, trauma to a vital system, or exhaustion of the
aerobic and anaerobic systems
●● Symptoms of backlash
Answer: dizziness, excessiv e bleeding and symptoms of shock,
including paleness, nausea, excessive sweating and clammy skin, as well
as an overwhelming sense of exhaustion or excessive muscle tremors
●● critical incident amnesia
Answer: a form of temporary amnesia subsequent to a sns mass
discharge, which includes the release of the stress hormone cortisol -
will affect memory and ability to write an incident report
●● Combat performance variables
Answer: mindset, motor skill selection, nutrition & hydration, fitness
and belief system
●● Mindset
Answer: one variable that will affect combat performance. includes a
belief in the mission and committment to completing it.
●● motor skill selection
OFFICER SAFETY PREP QUESTIONS AND
ACCURATE ANSWERS GRADED A+
●● Parasympathetic Nervous system and Sympathetic Nervous system
Answer: Two branches of autonomic nervous system
●● Parasympathetic Nervous system
Answer: (PNS) Allows us to rest and digest, allows us to save energy,
blood pressure decreases, heart beats slower with less force
●● Sympathetic Nervous System
Answer: Balance between flight or fight - releases 2 hormones
epinephrine and nor epinephrine - vital to stress response - uses more
energy, blood pressure increases, heart beats faster
●● SNS Triggers
Answer: Objective threat perceptions, objective fear perceptions,
physical exhaustion and startle response
●● Objective Threat Perceptions
,Answer: includes the fact that the threat is within close proximity, the
time needed to control the threat is minimal, the person is not confident
with his or her abilities or the threat is a new experience
●● Objective Fear Perceptions
Answer: Include a person having frear or death, injury, killin, incorrect
decision making, failure or simply fear itself
●● Physical Exhaustion
Answer: caused by either depletion of the adenosine triphosphotel (ATP)
fuel system or inadequate nutrition, can activate SNS - many officers
will escalate use of force upon coming exhausted
●● Startle response
Answer: if you encouter a threat that is spontaneous, unexpected, or
within close proximity or if there is an unexpected loud noise or an
unexpected impact or touch it can cause this
●● Adrenal Glands
Answer: two small structures situated one atop each kidney
●● SNS Activation
Answer: Several changes to the body including increased adrenal
activity which will effect the heart rate and respiration. Also affects the
,blood vessles - vascular flow is re-directed away from the extremities,
contour of eye lens changes, pupils dilate
●● Mental states in combat
Answer: Combat anxiety, survival stress, combat stress
●● Combat anxiety
Answer: the anticipation of danger - may lead to a gradual deterioration
of both mental and physical skills
●● survival stress
Answer: deadly force threat perception that initiates the SNS discharge
●● combat stress
Answer: post event mental and physiological symptions that are a result
of the sns activation and the sudden return to the pns
●● PNS Backlash
Answer: may distort the memory - deals with the sudeden treturn to the
PNS after the result of SNS activation
●● backlash triggers
, Answer: the perception that the threat has diminished, the perception
there has been an injury, trauma to a vital system, or exhaustion of the
aerobic and anaerobic systems
●● Symptoms of backlash
Answer: dizziness, excessiv e bleeding and symptoms of shock,
including paleness, nausea, excessive sweating and clammy skin, as well
as an overwhelming sense of exhaustion or excessive muscle tremors
●● critical incident amnesia
Answer: a form of temporary amnesia subsequent to a sns mass
discharge, which includes the release of the stress hormone cortisol -
will affect memory and ability to write an incident report
●● Combat performance variables
Answer: mindset, motor skill selection, nutrition & hydration, fitness
and belief system
●● Mindset
Answer: one variable that will affect combat performance. includes a
belief in the mission and committment to completing it.
●● motor skill selection
