Post by Phil Sheridan on Aug 24, 2008 12:19:05 GMT -5
Investigator Safety
By Phil Sheridan, Director, QVP
I would like to take this time to discuss an important topic as related to our investigation duties in the field. Obviously being a firefighter and safety advocate there, I will draw a lot of comparisons to the fire service.
We as investigators of paranormal activity have quite a few responsibilities. The first and foremost responsibility of each and every member is safety. Much like the fire service, our safety as “responders” is vital. We are each individually responsible for our own safety as well as the safety of the team we are working with. Many of the same safety concerns that exist in the fire service also exist in our activities as paranormal investigators.
Simple things like driving to and from investigations can often be overlooked. Some of the locations that are investigated require long driving times and distances over many different roadways. Seat belts are always to be worn during these times. Drivers of vehicles being used for investigator transport shall follow the rules of the road, remember we are all representing the group when on an investigation. No one shall drive impaired. This includes being too tired! Always have maps of the area as well as change for payphones and have those cell phones handy.
The one pet peeve I have in the fire service is those individuals that feel that they are special and do not need to follow instructions and go off and do their own thing. We call these people the “freelancers”. This is not to be tolerated on the fire ground and will not be tolerated on an investigation. We operate in the fire service as teams, and never go it alone. Investigators should never investigate by themselves. Having someone with you provides many benefits. First, it is safe! If you get hurt, the other person gets help! Second is liability. If something is reported missing or broken by a client, its better to have two people to together that can back each other up. Third is if you find any evidence! It’s far better to have more than one investigator experience the same thing!
This leads us into the next topic of accountability. This is a huge safety factor on the fire ground! Knowing where everyone is at all times. All investigators shall report into the “Command Post” for assignment. The Team Leader or designee will assign teams to certain areas and log it. It is important to stay with your assigned teams in the location you are assigned to investigate. This is not only a safety issue but important when we are reviewing evidence, if noises are heard and no one is logged in that location, it gives more support to the evidence. Remember to stay with your team, if one member needs to leave the area, they should never leave alone, and remember to relay this information to the Command Post.
Tunnel vision is another one of my favorites in my full time job as a firefighter. You got to love the people that can only seem to focus on one thing at a time and not look at the big picture. It would be great to see a full bodied apparition and to catch it on video, but running after it and not noticing the big hole in the floor doesn’t help anyone. Pay attention! Use all of your senses at all times.
How about those pesky slips, trips, and falls. Most of these incidents can be avoided by simply slowing down. Know your environment. If its winter, expect ice, if in an attic, expect trip hazards, low ceilings, etc. When investigating sites always check the area out with lights on before getting into it. This is just like our fire service pre-plans. Find your hazards and mentally note them. If an area is deemed hazardous, don’t go there! Remember, we are here to find ghosts, not become one!
We must remember that no matter how safe we try to be, we will have accidents, that’s why we call them accidents. Some are hard to control, take a bee sting from an unseen nest for example. If a mishap occurs we then need to focus on helping. Our group is fortunate to be made up primarily of emergency responders. I recommend that all groups be trained to handle basic emergencies including first aid and CPR. Be prepared and have a basic emergency first aid kit with the team.
I have designed a powerpoint presentation on the subject which I will post on the site.
Be Safe! You hear me say this a lot!
By Phil Sheridan, Director, QVP
I would like to take this time to discuss an important topic as related to our investigation duties in the field. Obviously being a firefighter and safety advocate there, I will draw a lot of comparisons to the fire service.
We as investigators of paranormal activity have quite a few responsibilities. The first and foremost responsibility of each and every member is safety. Much like the fire service, our safety as “responders” is vital. We are each individually responsible for our own safety as well as the safety of the team we are working with. Many of the same safety concerns that exist in the fire service also exist in our activities as paranormal investigators.
Simple things like driving to and from investigations can often be overlooked. Some of the locations that are investigated require long driving times and distances over many different roadways. Seat belts are always to be worn during these times. Drivers of vehicles being used for investigator transport shall follow the rules of the road, remember we are all representing the group when on an investigation. No one shall drive impaired. This includes being too tired! Always have maps of the area as well as change for payphones and have those cell phones handy.
The one pet peeve I have in the fire service is those individuals that feel that they are special and do not need to follow instructions and go off and do their own thing. We call these people the “freelancers”. This is not to be tolerated on the fire ground and will not be tolerated on an investigation. We operate in the fire service as teams, and never go it alone. Investigators should never investigate by themselves. Having someone with you provides many benefits. First, it is safe! If you get hurt, the other person gets help! Second is liability. If something is reported missing or broken by a client, its better to have two people to together that can back each other up. Third is if you find any evidence! It’s far better to have more than one investigator experience the same thing!
This leads us into the next topic of accountability. This is a huge safety factor on the fire ground! Knowing where everyone is at all times. All investigators shall report into the “Command Post” for assignment. The Team Leader or designee will assign teams to certain areas and log it. It is important to stay with your assigned teams in the location you are assigned to investigate. This is not only a safety issue but important when we are reviewing evidence, if noises are heard and no one is logged in that location, it gives more support to the evidence. Remember to stay with your team, if one member needs to leave the area, they should never leave alone, and remember to relay this information to the Command Post.
Tunnel vision is another one of my favorites in my full time job as a firefighter. You got to love the people that can only seem to focus on one thing at a time and not look at the big picture. It would be great to see a full bodied apparition and to catch it on video, but running after it and not noticing the big hole in the floor doesn’t help anyone. Pay attention! Use all of your senses at all times.
How about those pesky slips, trips, and falls. Most of these incidents can be avoided by simply slowing down. Know your environment. If its winter, expect ice, if in an attic, expect trip hazards, low ceilings, etc. When investigating sites always check the area out with lights on before getting into it. This is just like our fire service pre-plans. Find your hazards and mentally note them. If an area is deemed hazardous, don’t go there! Remember, we are here to find ghosts, not become one!
We must remember that no matter how safe we try to be, we will have accidents, that’s why we call them accidents. Some are hard to control, take a bee sting from an unseen nest for example. If a mishap occurs we then need to focus on helping. Our group is fortunate to be made up primarily of emergency responders. I recommend that all groups be trained to handle basic emergencies including first aid and CPR. Be prepared and have a basic emergency first aid kit with the team.
I have designed a powerpoint presentation on the subject which I will post on the site.
Be Safe! You hear me say this a lot!
