This is the first of a two-part blog entry dealing with conducting investigations in private homes.

Lending a Helping Hand

Like any profession, investigating the paranormal requires that teams pay their dues. No! Not monetarily although that happens anyway with the cost of equipment. But, when I say dues, I really mean that practice is the key to having a successful team.

TV has really done a disservice to the field. Some beginning paranormal enthusiasts feel that they know how to conduct an investigation just because they've seen it done on TV every week by this group or that group. And, because of the ease with which investigations are portrayed on TV, many groups are eager to take on residential cases and solve someones ghostly issues.

Well, guess what kiddies! You are doing far more harm than good.

First off I can't tell you how many times, my team has been called out to fix a mess caused by another team. And I can tell you this, some inexperienced teams do cause major messes for clients.

Unless you have been ghost hunting for at least a year or two, you have no business taking on any client investigations. Period!

I'm not saying that you shouldn't ghost hunt. Feel free to go out and hunt. And by ghost hunt I mean investigate commercial buildings such as old hotels, theaters or any other locations that do not require you to have one on one contact with clients.

These types of investigations will help you to learn how to use your equipment properly.

I recall one investigation that we did at a restaurant in the Placerville, California, area where the owner told me that a group that had gone in before us had no idea how to use their video cameras and other equipment. They spent the whole evening fumbling with buttons and did very little investigating.

Not a very good look for a team that is supposed to act in a professional manner.

Before even leaving their homes, the investigators should have held one or two training sessions in the proper operation of their equipment. But they didn't.

I require that all team members go through a three hour training session on equipment. I also require that everyone learns investigation protocols as well. Not only that, but training sessions should be done on a regular basis to keep everyone up to speed.

Now, once a team has had a training session, then it can go out to an old hotel or theater where members will hone the skills needed to use on residential investigations.

Very seldom will you get into a hotel that doesn't have guests. In many instances, the bar or saloon won't close until the wee hours of the morning and you'll have people walking up and down hallways. Unless you intend to be in the location all night and not get started until 3 a.m., you'll start your investigation anyway, noises be damned.

But don't despair! This type of investigating is a good thing. You see, as you deal with noisy saloons and people walking in halls, you learn how to conduct your Electro Magnetic Voice Phenomena sessions in less than pristine conditions. You start creating protocols that better help you identify the different voices you pick up on the recorder.

For example, I have all team members who are present in the room say their names in their normal voice and then say their names in a whisper voice. This way I have a reference to analyze when or if the recorder picks up a whisper. I also require team members to note out loud if they shift their bodies, if their stomach growls or if they make any other noises. I also require that they vocally note the time of the occurrence. That also goes for anything that might happen during the session such as feeling cold, hearing people walk by, people speaking, or hearing a car go by. It all helps when it comes time for reviewing the evidence. And if you're lucky, you will still get EVPs.

And just as importantly, team members will learn how to use their equipment-they'll be able to see first hand how different meters react to electrical items such as wall wiring, light fixtures, kitchen appliances, and other sources that put off an Electro Magnetic Field. And they learn that certain meters, when placed near each other will cause high EMF readings. Cell phones too. This type of investigation teaches the investigator how to use all the equipment in their arsenal.

Oh! And what about finding logical explanations for alleged paranormal activity? Older buildings are great for that. Again they are a great learning ground to look into cabinets that open by themselves, phantom lights near windows, breezes that seem to come out of nowhere, faucets that seem to turn on by themselves. And let's don't forget about doors that seem open by themselves.

Are the walls thin? Can voices from other rooms be heard? Do footsteps in the room actually happen in the room or are they simply coming from the hall? Are there any trees near the building which could cause shadows in the rooms or hit the roof creating the sound of footsteps?

All these can be done during commercial investigations.

Practice, practice, practice.

The more you do, the better you get at doing it. Trust me! When you enter someone's house you are going to be very happy that you took the time to hone your skills. Add to that, you'll look professional in front of the client.

Coming up Part Two of tips for conducting an investigation in a private residence.