Haunted Missouri Paranormal Studies

I cyber meet the nicest people. Since launching the American Standard I have been in near constant contact with many old friends, new soon-to-be friends and some really interesting acquaintances. Hauntedmo makes every effort to get the message out that we want to work with other groups. Big. Small. New. Better Established. We want to learn all that we can and share what we have been fortunate enough to learn.

In that vein, I've had a few requests for information, tips, and help that I can answer here on the blog and perhaps there are others who can benefit from them as well. I'll start with my very best advice to new teams (and if I sent this to you in an email at least you know I am consistant!).

Welcome to the wild world of paranormal research.  There are some very good, standard guidelines for teams listed on the site as well on the American Standard page, these are common sense code of conduct followed by your majority of serious researchers and are posted as a basic guideline. If you have any questions about any of the information offered on the site I am at your convenience

 

After that I would say the best use of your time will be to discuss and decide what kind of ghost hunter group/team you want to be. There are many facets of this field and room for all levels of involvement running all the way from the top notch scientific research (aka The Mesa Project, Dr. Tim Harte) to --sadly, some with ulterior motives known only to them.  Every investigator faces the question at some time and has to decide where on the spectrum they are going to operate.

 

Most of us fall into the high to mid range; honest, willing to learn and work hard, serious; ranging to casual involvement to hobbiest/observer. All can play an important role in open minded data collection because all have unique perspectives to offer.

 

Once you have had an honest discussion with your self and decided how much time, money and sweat you want to dedicate to this time consuming and expensive "passtime" my best piece of advise it to learn or cultivate patience. Rather you are contacting cold for investigations, following leads or answering calls for help there is always a "hurry up and wait" dynamic in this field that can be very frustrating.

 

Besides the American Standard guidelines, what can I say to help new teams, investigators or those asking for tips? How about: don't be shy. Timidity has its place but you have got to be willing to put yourself out there to the public to do this "job" for any length of time. Sometimes you will be the student, sometimes you may be the teacher, co-investigator, team mate or lab rat.

 

There is always someone who knows as much as you do. Who has varied but equally evocative experience as you. There are no experts in the paranormal field. Not me. Not the guy on tv. You may be able to learn from my experiences or I may be able to learn from yours, but we are all strangers in a strange land and we should do well to remember that.

 

Stay tuned. Next blog I will try to post advise and tips to help you get started. If anyone has any specific questions please leave me a reply and I will do my best to answer, or find the answer for us all.

 

So, you have decided to investigate the paranormal. You have decided rather or not your going to be a research specialist, a data collector, a techie, use psychics and or mediums, divinations or not. You are studying online groups with spotless reputations, readign their reports and taking note of their tool kits. There is still one more thing to decide before your ready to start investigating: how are you going to carry out your investigations?

 You are going to have to decide on a code of conduct and then change, edit and expand it as your knowledge and experiences grow. Here is my code of conduct. Feel free to ask any questions you have about them even if it is why is this a rule!

__Safety must be a top concern at all times. For that reason we try to maintain a "buddy system*" for investigations whereby two people work side by side.

 

__NO smoking during an investigation unless you have a designated smoking area and confine the smoking to that place*, well away from the investigators.

__No alcohol* before, or during an investigation. No drugs*. Perscription medications that effect your cognitive abilities may need to be taken after an investigation.

*Any evidence collected other wise is suspect.

__Respect private property, do not trespass, observe all laws.  Make sure none of your team or guests have warrants or are felons. This is the groups responsibility!  Carry proper ID and be prepared to cough it up.

__Do not take pictures during rain, snow, hail, dust storms, on dirt roads, or during fog or smokey conditions*.  (If you do, do not present those pictures as evidence.) During picture taking camera straps should be secured, keep hair and fingers away from lens, wipe lens frequently, avoid taking pictures toward the sun or facing reflective surfaces. Use of a tripod is recommended. Both digital and 35 mm should be used.

(Mark reflective surfaces when possible with sticky tac or other non invasive means so that in a picture the reflection is easily recognizable. (A small piece of handy tac holding up a business card will imprint a reflection from a mirror, for instance, with the squared shape of the card.)

__No horseplay, practical jokes or teasing during an investigation.

__Maintain reverence and respect. I do not advocate taunting spirits, goading spirits or otherwise being disrespectful of the dead. Many teams now do not agree with this and indeed feel that they know enough about the dead that they can safely taunt the spirits. That is their call to make, however our team does not do so.

__Do not investigate if you are sick or under rested as fatigue or illness may weaken your abilities and functionality or make you vulnerable to psychic/mental disturbances such as spirit possession.

__Take notes or record all activities and occurrences during the course of an investigation. Using memory at a later date to try to recall what happened/when is not a professional way to work. Hauntedmo uses a  "time line" beginning with the day, date and time of the investigation, the weather and lunar conditions and a list of those present. Any occurrences should be logged into the time line by member, first by making sure that your teammate with whom you are working is aware of the activity as it happens and that the occurrence is put in your private log and then added to the team log.

__Behave in a professional manner in that you should be courteous and respectful of all team members and of your hosts.

__When using audio and video tapes always use new tapes and mark them in advance to keep them organized. Do not whisper at all at any time while recording audio or video with audio as that might later be misconstrued as an EVP.

__NEVER investigate by yourself. I have a good friend in the paranormal who mostly investigates by himself and he is a good investigator, so there are exceptions to every rule. Graveyards, empty buildings and the like can be dangerous places. Investigators also need to remember to take precautions to protect themselves from live, human predators. Some locations can be isolated and we encourage safety above all else. This is the main reason we say DO NOT go alone.

__Make sure that all legal waivers and permissions are signed and on file before an investigation begins. You could collect hours/DAYS of evidence and not be able to use any of it because your permissions to post are not signed or are revoked for some reason. That's a plain waste of time for everyone concerned.

The MOST Frequently Ask Question in the Paranormal Field

 

The most frequently asked question in the paranormal field is not "What was that?" It is where or how do you find places to investigate. The answer may be as close as your own home.

 

Let me back up. Many groups have different goals in the paranormal field. My goal—our goal—at Haunted Missouri Paranormal Research (after helping if some one is in distress) is data collection. Those with other goals may have other answers and please, if you have another answer feel free to post it as a reply. For our purposes it is as important to collect data at locations that have no history of hauntings as it is to collect data at reportedly haunted locations.

 

Why? To compare your findings. How do you know what is "paranormal" if you don't know what is "normal"? If you have pages of temp readings and EMF readings from both types of locations it should be readily and immediately obvious when those readings are abnormal. In the locations where the readings were high, the other corresponding pieces of evidence would take on more significance. The more documental evidence that you collect at the same location; the easier it is to call it haunted.

 

Because we collect data in both types of locations we have twice the opportunities to investigate. As you can see by reading my inquiry letter which I have posted several times in this blog (last time would be three blogs) some of our favorite investigations are at historic hotels, B&B's and businesses in historic buildings. These are always worth what you pay for your room rent (especially when you rent all the rooms and divide it among a group. That brings most of the historic places within financial reach for most investigators.) You get the history, the ambiance, the fabulous locations, normally at least one good meal and 6 to 10 hours of data.

 

I can almost see some of you who are new to the field sitting staring at the screen with a WTF? look on your face and wondering if it isn't a waste of time to investigate at places that do not claim to be haunted. No it is not a waste of time. These places have history. Un-haunted historic places are as fascinating because they have literally all the earmarks that should create a haunting, so why isn't there one there? We have actually gotten evidence of hauntings in locations that we were able to authenticate in historical records that the owners were not even aware of!

 

Okay, rather or not you agree with that approach there are other places as well. Many people love to investigate cemeteries. I go on these and have had some terrific experiences and gathered compelling data. They are not my favorite because the outdoors will never rival a restored historical B&B for me.

 

Battlefields! These history soaked acres are an amazing experience and I recommend spending as much time as you can in them collecting data. These are a thrill to do. Most are National Parks so you have to follow the rules and some do not want any equipment besides camera's, audio and video. Who cares? They are well worth whatever you have to do to get to them. Look them up and try going on the anniversary of their battles. Play period music while there and be prepared to be awed with an almost religious experience.

 

There are also public locations that have fabulous histories. Historical landmarks, City and town parks where legendary lectures or political rallies took place, some where tragedies played out, where entire villages used to stand… numerous and varied human experiences that could very well fall into the category of place where strong emotional ties could herald a haunting. Remember it is not only horrible experiences that can leave an imprint on a location and render it haunted. Where great joy, relief, love, excitement and a full range of physically powerful occurrences happen that would make the perfect circumstance under which a haunting could occur.

 

Your Chamber of Commerce should have a list of rules as to what is allowed in these locations but it is my experience that if you are not invasive and do not offend the public they are going to leave you alone. Please obey the rules if a location closes at a certain time. Request permission from City Hall to be there late using some form of inquiry, I prefer either in person or by snail mail. You may use our inquiry letter to base that on as well if you so choose. For neighboring towns and communities the Chamber of Commerce is almost as good a resource as the local historical society!

 

When it comes to people's homes, they have to invite you unless you're going to chase hearses and contact the families out of the obituaries to try to hawk your services and EW; how tacky, please don't do that! You are going to have to establish yourself online and in your community in order to have those requests coming in to you. Positive word of mouth and patience are your best bet where this is concerned.

 

Try placing ads in your local free paper or press. Something like "Local researcher seeks true ghost stories, legend or lore for possible investigation or authentication." Use your newspapers Community Calendar to announce open meetings in public locations. Local radio stations might also have a service where they announce local items of interest like this. Again, try making small donations to local charities in your teams' name, or donate T-Shirts or some other item to local groups for raffles and fund raisers. Contact the local Eagles, Elks, VFW for instance; they are always looking for donations for fund raisers! Many are also located in historic old buildings as well. It's all about a positive community impression both locally and in the online paranormal community!

 

A favorite tip is to spend your money in your hometown. Having business cards made? T-shirts printed? Flyers? Do it locally. Everyone knows someone with a personal ghost story, when they see your team name they will mention it to others. Consider contacting local "Spiritualist" churches. Send your card or place flyers with local psychics, mediums, palm readers, new age shops, etc. Leave business cards neatly in public seating areas like waiting rooms; add with tips at the hairdressers or pub. If you have read about a location in your town that has been investigated contact them and ask if they were satisfied with the experience and why or why not. This may not lead to an investigation but could be invaluable information on what not to do!

 

Consider getting a toll free number and spend the money on a yellow page ad. I haven't done this yet but it is on my agenda to do so. Offer to give a speech/lecture at your local community center, college, drama club, theatrical group or library during the Halloween season when interest is high. Hang flyers in laundry mats, on bulletin boards in grocery and retail stores, hotels & B&B, submit your business cards to those restaurant free lunch drawings, and put a flyer or business card in every piece of outgoing mail: someone opens those bills to get the checks out.

 

Pluck investigation opportunities from your friends, family and co-workers. Do you know someone who just built a new house on a piece of land that was never cleared before? The data collected from that location would be great for establishing your baseline readings. Know someone in a 30 year old trailer? Living in an RV at the KOA? Staying in an efficiency motel room? Buying a Victorian to rehab? Working in a theater? Renting a condo? Ask them about allowing you to collect data in these locations. Hey, they're your friends and family: ask them!

 

Businesses are another story. Rather they embrace their ghost story or not they are in business and if it will benefit their bottom line most (unless they are morally opposed) will make arrangements for you to investigate if it doesn't disrupt their daily operation and you pay your own way. I'm sorry if this disillusions you, but money talks and bullshit walks. You can always offer to make a contribution to their favorite charity in their businesses name as well. Again; query in person or by mail for best results.

 

There are, of course abandoned locations but I want to caution you on several levels. First abandoned locations are not necessarily public domain. They have owners-- on that you can almost bet. To find the owners of an abandoned location take the address to City Hall to the hall of records or recorder of deeds and use the address to look up who pays (or owes) the taxes on that lot. Trust me someone either pays it or owes it and that name is public record and this is usually free.

 

Be prepared to offer to sign away all of your rights to sue the owner for accident or injury to gain permission to these locations. In fact you would be smart to mention in your inquiry that you would remove any liability from the property owner if they allowed you entrée and some harm did befall you. One other thing: if you are going to do this do not go into them for the first time in the dark. At least go in before hand in the daylight and mark any unstable or questionably safe areas with those glow sticks you can get at the dollar store so after dark you are safe in the locations. Don't go alone those places can harbor not only homeless, harmless or not but also criminals. Also be sure your cell phones work and you have proper ID.

 

For years before I began to ghost hunt I would take my clueless (about ghosts) hubby on trips to places I had read were haunted. I learned a fabulous fact then that is one of my favorite tips to hand out. If you want to know the haunted history of an area, find a well established club, tavern, bar, diner or grill; cozy up to the bar, share a nice social cocktail (well in advance of your investigation or even on another preliminary visit) and talk to the bartender. Food service workers like bartenders, waitresses and caterers are a fabulous resources most people over look. Just don't try to pin them down during a rush and remember they work for tips. Try handing over a nice five spot when you pay for your Shirley Temple and see how attentive they can be.

 

You don't need a public relations or media person unless you have an agent or some one representing you to the lecture venue so get over yourself and get real in your communities. It's your name and team name so use it frequently in your home town. If you are honest you will build a positive reputation and that can not be begged, borrowed or stolen!

There are about a gabillion different tools and gadgets that can be used when investigating the paranormal. I've included a list at the end of this that I've culled from numerous web sites but I thought I would start with the basics. Here are a few things I think are valuable when you are just starting out.

A cell phone, working time piece, flash lights, a camera (35mm, digital 5.0 or higher megapixel or both) a compass, pencil, markers, paper, a audio recorder, common sense and a buddy who shares your interest. Everything else can be picked up along the way as you determine how much money you want to spend on your new pass time.

Where do you find items to buy? Hardware stores, Wal-Mart, Walgreen's, Lowe's, Radio Shack or online: Google ghost hunting tools or investigators tool kits or go to almost any paranormal groups website and find their tool/equipment lists. Beware of you online safety and the safety of your financial assets when making any purchases online.

After these bare bone items what would I suggest are your next purchases?

1. Tripods for all cameras

2. external microphone for all devises that record sound. spend the money on QUALITY. Ask someoenes advice in the recording business or do your research.

3. A closed circuit security television system. The basic one is under $50.00     

4. VCR (to hook to the above) under $30.00 plus tapes. Buy the more expensive better quality tapes, they are worth the extra expense for our purposes.

3. two way radio's (my next purchase)

4. Thermometers

5. EMF meters --there is a huge debate on the use of them going on right now.

6. Black light

7. motion detectors

 

Tool Kit: the items I have I will asteric.

2 way radios—under $20.00 for 2

Monitor for all 2 way conversations

Weather alert radio (may be part of monitor)

*Working cell phone with signal

*Flash lights, flood lights, spot lights

*First aid kit

*Extra batteries—do not keep them with you at the "ahunted site" or the extra's could be drained with the ones in use, leave them in the car, perhaps.

*Power supply cords/extension cords

*35 mm camera, extra film

*Digital still camera

*Video camera—analog

*Digital video camera

*New, unused, marked (day, date, time, location) tapes

*Extra memory cards

*Tripods, very under rated and under used

*Audio recorder, analog

New, unused, marked tapes

*Digital audio recorder

External microphones

Mic stands/boom stand

*Compass

Digital compass

*Thermometers, digital, IR, multi-room

*EMF meters

Geiger counter

*Divining rods

GPS reader

Night scope

*Closed circuit television security system

VCR/DVR

Laptop

Motion detectors/sensors

*Black light

*Pendulum

*Note pads, automatic pencils, clipboard, and markers

*Time pieces/wrist watches: yes. Synchronize the times settings

Carrying cases for equipment

*Tape: scotch tape, duct tape

*Wire ties or plastic ties

You have an investigation set up! OMG—How are you going to proceed

 

You have made all of the arrangements for investigating, your team and equipment are assembled and your meeting time is set. Have you asked yourself how you proceed from there? This is it. Do or die. Were you planning on showing up and doing whatever seems like a good idea when you get there? Or do you have a plan of action? I'm not saying that you have to have a set schedule down to the last minute, but you need to have some idea of what your going to do how—and when.

 

 

By now you have no doubt read my article "The Convivial Method" that outlines the way I like to set up and handle my investigations. If not I am sure it is posted in this blog, or I will post it to be read for reference. Rather you follow this kind of more rigid code or something much less organized you need to have an idea of what you will be doing, who will be doing it, how they will do it, with what they will do it, when will they do it, how long will they do it and what will they do with their data/experiences when they are done.

 

 

Good investigations do not happen by accident. Planning and execution are key. Decide what kind of investigation you are doing and then sit down and make a game plan. Be assured you will have to modify the plan onsite due to changing circumstances, so be flexible too. Ask yourself basic questions;

 

 

Who is going?

How are they getting there?

Who is bringing what and how is it being transported to and from the location?

Who knows how to use the equipment? Who will be using it?

 

 

Delegate authority because if you try to do it yourself with no help you *may* succeed but then again you may be so stressed out that it ruins the whole event. Give specific responsibilities to specific people and if they don't come through do not trust them to do so again. Make a list of who is in charge of what and make them accountable.

 

 

You need to unload and set up your equipment in a timely and organized manner that looks relaxed, as if it is second nature. This will take forethought. In the same way you should have interviewed all key witnesses before hand, you should make a trip to the location to map out things like where are the electrical outlets? Is there equipment (like flashes or flood lights) that may not be used in certain locations? Does the client have restrictions your team needs to be aware of? Brief your team BEFORE the investigation and preferably before you are on site if there are places they can not go. Your team can not show up and begin to run around the location like teenagers at a scavenger hunt.

 

 

Before you get to the location have a permission to investigate document signed and witnessed. If you can get your Notary license do so or try to get a team mate with a notary license or who will get one. Have liability waivers signed and witnessed. Have press release information agreed to in writing if applicable. Get signed permission to use the data you collect for your files and records and to post on your current or future websites, include future compilations, publications and reproductions of the data and add a codicil that states who owns the copy right on the data. The team? The individual? I include a rider that states that permission to post in a report or case study are not retractable and may not be withdrawn at a future date as long as proper copy right credit is given.

 

 

Put in fresh memory cards, tapes, batteries and test your equipment to see if it is functioning properly. Have another team member double check your items, better twice than not at all. Open and mark tapes before you go so in the heat of things you don't have to stop, turn on a light, find the stickers, find a pen, write it out and unwrap your tape and apply the sticker label too it. Yawn. Do it in advance. If you don't use the tape you pull off the sticker or draw a line through that information for next time.

 

 

Extra batteries and extension cords and flashlights, time pieces, radios or whatever not being used need to be in a location sufficiently far away from the haunted location so that they are not all drained if that phenomena should occur. Decide if you will have a hub or command post and who will man it. Will you have security, who and how will they operate?

 

 

Okay, you arrive, unpack and set up: have an idea who you want to interview witnesses on site, who will use the cameras, where, who will record, where? What method will you use? Are you going to use a psychic or a divination tactic, when and where? Decide on break times and places for smokers, bathroom breaks, snacks and or drinks. Be where you say you will be on time. Keep the agreed upon time restraints and find out if the client (when you have one) wants to participate, observe or be left on the side lines.

 

 

That is it. Pre plan your investigation. In my next blog I will talk about HOW MANY people you bring on an investigation and why this is important. Keep copious and specific notes. Record EVERYTHING said and done on audio or video or both. Make a definite date to go over evidence and one to deliver it to the clients when you have one.

 

You're a paranormal investigator now. Go. Investigate!

 

*your comments are welcome! Don't know why I think something listed is important? Disagree? Strongly agree? Have an experience you would share about your investigations that proves or disproves one of my guideline ideas? Let's hear it!

 

UPDATE:

 

From the blog replies I have received some additional information that I believe makes the list. Alexandra Holzer, daughter of the Father of Paranormal Investigations; Dr. Hans Holzer writes:

 

You can run into losing energy and or power due to the high energies of the surrounding entities, in which case you go with the flow and invest in a good old polaroid camera like a back-up generator.

Your tools also include you as being impressionable and inquisitive but remaining focused at the work that lay ahead of you. Cracking some paranormal jokes along the way certainly couldn't hurt and would entertain some very, very old ghosts who have seen you all before time and time again!

Wacoghosts tells us: First, these training blogs are great! Keep up the good work! Second, just wanted to put my two cents in by saying that when I created my informed consent form I took it to a local attorney for review. I was fortunate enough to have one of the senior partners and three associates review my form and give me legal suggestions FREE OF CHARGE. Now, I can't speak for other attorneys, but it doesn't hurt to ask! Plus, I feel much more confident knowing that my informed consent form is indeed legally binding and will stand up in court.

Thank you. I will be posting it with the other forms I add  next week.

Moebanshe writes:
In the advent you are helping some one with a problem haunting. Be prepared for anything and expect nothing.
When we did Wade house in Gettysburg, we were not prepared for how tiny the house was. But this was a bit of a lark deal. Just a look and see, field trip. We had too many people there. I was not a happy camper. But, we had people wi us whom had never been on any type of investigation. So they got their feet wet in a non hostile environment. The house is fragile. I was worried about going through a stair case.
We were not there to help a family in trouble. That's where it gets real.
I only bring my most trusted investigators wi me on those occasions. I need people I can trust to hold their tongues before , during and after the investigation. People in trouble don't want to be on the 6 O'Clock news. So a team of trust worthy people is essential. A group who follows orders and listens. Less mistakes and accidents that way.
Mediums and psychics are to go in a head of the team wi a person who has no knowledge of the house as a recorder. They can carry a evp dig voice recorder. Having some one versed in the history of the place lends itself to less credibility. They should never go in wi the team. I am not saying one of the team can't say they are sensing something. I mean some one who is going to walk through talking the whole time.
Knowing what to do and when is always the best plan.
Knowing your people is the best way to go in. Your a team not a bunch of individuals.

West Michigan Spirit Seekers adds this: The only thing we carry extra is each person fills out a general er form . In case a person might get hurt for any reason , we know a contact person , plus a permission slip to have them able to go to the hospital already signed ., in case they can not speak for them selfs. We also carry a first aid kit to every Investigation , that would include a pen to stop bleeding

 

Answer: That depends on the size of the light bulb!

 

It's true. Two investigators at a 20 room mansion would be as wrong as 20 investigators in a two bedroom apartment. In paranormal investigations SIZE DOES MATTER. Therefore it is important to be able to tell how many investigators are enough and to be flexible and ready to add or remove investigators at any time depending on what happens on the investigation site.

 

This is where egos really need to be checked at the door.

 

I always "try" to have back up participants lined up because I have found that fully half the people who commit to being at a location will not show up there. Rather they call, have an emergency or a legitimate reason for their absence or are just a no show you can expect one thing and that is that everyone who was *in* for a trip will not be on site when the time comes. Plan accordingly.

 

Just as important to the success of an investigation may be the flexibility to remove people from the location. As bad as that sounds it may be the salvation of an investigation. For instance if you have a residential investigation and show up with six people to find that the "client" has several guests that would make the location actually too crowded to do a valuable investigation then it would be imperative that you be able to adjust your group numbers to the situation with out any theatrics, histrionics of back lash from the team members. There is no "I" in team and especially in a situation where you are helping people at their request.

 

Team Dynamics and Politics

 

Some teams have something that equates to the football tier system: First string/second string/trainee's etc; however you want to structure your group is your business. The politics of the groups have never been something I wanted to or felt qualified to address in these educational blogs. Many operate as ruling by committee. I think this is great if you have members who are really good at keeping in touch regularly and if your team members are the type who can make definitive decisions.

 

If not then your team may benefit from having one clear cut leader who is responsible for the bottom line. This is how Haunted Missouri operates. My co-founder and team are my sounding board. They advise me on every step we take. As do my beloved myspace friends and many teams with which I have worked who are available to advise me. It works out well for us because Tonya is our natural psychic and she goes in blind to our investigations so she really does not need to be apprised of much beyond whom and where and how much. Our team researcher, Wendy is a gem who works fabulously on her own and gives out compassionate, level headed and valued input on any questions asked. She can be counted on for her wholly honest opinion delivered in a completely empathetic, caring way. Our investigators; Mickey and Mike—also of St. Louis RIPP-- are detail oriented, have shown unprecedented focus and can be counted on as dependable and unflappable in a crisis. Any one of us would volunteer to spend our night watching cable at the motel if there were too many investigators onsite at a location or would step into an observer's position if it would benefit an investigation.

 

Surrounding yourself with team mates who are not primadonnas and who have the same goals and ethics as yourself is one of your most important priorities at this point. If that means going through ten incompatible interested parties to find every one who is that right fit it is well worth the effort.

 

I suggest training investigations. At a team members house, willing friends or at local B&Bs, motels, etc. Scheduling investigations to go through the moves of collecting data will assure that you know how to work together when the time comes and that in those RARE paranormally active encounters you will all instinctively do your jobs first and then get excited about the phenomenon afterward.

 

In advance of investigative trips please have a list of members, guests, observers, trainees that you could call to fill in at the last minute and those who would be willing to step down and provide back up if it is needed? This will save you a lot of time and trouble and hurt feelings.

 

Coming up; FORMS. The ER form I was just sent (thank you!) permission to investigate, liability waiver, confidentiality, permissions to post/repost… What other forms do you use? What other forms would you like to see?