Protocol
In any investigation, we always try to follow strict guidelines and protocols to ensure that the findings are of the highest quality. At all times accuracy has to be the first priority. Mistakes do occasionally happen during experiments and investigations. So to cut back on the chance for error, there must be a set protocol for procedures and conduct. This helps to maintain the integrity of any findings and decrease the percentage of error.
For most investigations, we try to break it down into four simple steps.
We start with the interview process. This helps to establish if an actual investigation is warranted.
If the witnesses are credible, or there is enough historical evidence to back it up, the second step is the investigation itself.
Immediately following the investigation, it is important to process the data collected. One of the first things we do is sit down and type out my findings from our notes and put together a timeline for the investigation. Little things are easily forgotten if they are not put down immediately on paper. The final step is to present the investigation findings and discuss with other group members.
We never go alone to any investigation. There are several reasons for this, but first and foremost is that there is no better evidence for any occurrence than having credible witnesses with you.
If you or someone you know needs help, due to what you may think might be Paranormal, please don't delay asking for help.
We all seem to be so afraid of what others are going to think, that we tend to allow ourselves to suffer needlessly, when help is right here!
Below you will find what we do, and and what you can do, before we come, if you should call on us for help. Please take the time to read this, because it is very important to both you, and to us.
Thank you
Our Investigation Process
After contacting Florida Ghost Chasers (FGC) regarding a possible investigation, a case manager will be assigned and
will contact you either by email or phone. A pre-investigation interview will ensue, usually by telephone, and a date and time
convenient for you will be scheduled for a walk-through or investigation. When scheduling an investigation with the TGH team, it is important to document any unusual event you notice by keeping an activity log. For your convenience, we have created a simple activity log that will be given to you by our case manager prior to the investigation. In the log, include the date and
time the event occurred, describe the event and document any other information you feel might be important about this event.
(i.e. what was happening just before the event, Who was present, etc.). During your interview, we will review your activity log. If it is determined we should schedule a walk-through before the actual investigation, a member of the team will contact you to schedule this appointment. They will walk around the area to make note of the layout or your home or office, take
photographs of the location and possibly talk to you further about the phenomena you are experiencing. Prior to the Investigation. When we arrive at your home and after introductions have completed, we will select a "base" or where we will set up our"headquarters" for the duration of the investigation. This is usually a living room, but it is preferable to be a spacious location in the home or office where the least amount of activity has occurred.
The Interview
We will conduct an official "sit down" interview with you and any other witnesses present. We prefer to record this interview
for future reference. The interview consists of basic questions concerning your case and activity you experience. If, at any
point, you would rather not answer a question, you may decline. We will ask you to sign a release form concerning the level of
confidentiality you prefer regarding your case. We also have a release of liability form to sign which releases you from all
liability in the event an investigator is injured - even though this has never happened in our fifteen plus years of
investigating. Also, any investigator coming to your location has been required to sign this liability release form. You will
be provided copies of these forms.
The Walk-Through and Investigation
After the interview, we will conduct a "walk-through" of your location with you. We will take photos, shoot video and take
meter readings as we continue the tour of your location. During the walk-through, it is important to point out activity you
have had in each room or area. Upon completion, we will determine which rooms seem to be most active and station
smaller teams at these locations. At a specified time, we will all meet back at the "base" and compare any evidence we have
gathered. We will then determine if the investigation should be concluded based on the level of activity we detect. We may ask for permission to stay a while longer. This decision is totally up to you and understood if you had rather our team leave for
the evening.
Investigation Analysis
After the clinical investigation has completed, the members of the TGH team spend the next few days or weeks reviewing the
evidence collected and rule out natural causes for the occurrences. The team will review numerous photos and hours of
video looking for anything out of the ordinary and keep logs of those visual accounts. We also listen to hours of audio tape
for any type of unusual sounds or voices. This is the longest part of the investigation process. It can take weeks to
identify all the paranormal evidence and we appreciate your patience.
Post Investigation
Once all the investigators' field reports have been collected, they will be compiled into a report (either digital, paper or
both) and your case manager will contact you to report any findings. You will be provided a copy of the report. In some
cases, it may be necessary to make follow-up visits or schedule further investigations. It is possible that our first
investigation yielded no results. Also, it is possible the abundance of evidence collected warrants ongoing research if
you permit it.
Before We Come, What Can You Do?
Now you have an idea of what to expect from our team, we ask that you help us before we arrive at your location to
investigate. If you have any children, we ask that you make arrangements for them to be off-site for that evening if
possible. Children are unpredictable and can contaminate any evidence we collect. More importantly, our presence alone can
confuse and upset small children. In our experience, it is just better to have children not be there during an investigation.
We understand the excitement surrounding a paranormal investigation. We ask only the occupants or witnesses be
present during the investigation itself.
The equipment we use is listed on our Equipment Page, and we are gathering more and new equipment all of the time, to better our investigations.
We can be contacted at:
floridaghostchasers@gmail.com
Feel free to contact us...
We are here to be of help to anyone that feels they need answers to a situation they may not be able to understand.
Feel free also to Browse our Site to see what sort of work we are doing.
Thank you again for visiting us
