Frank Lee, of Pell City, Ala., demonstrates some of the equipment he uses to investigate paranormal activities. Lee is the founder and lead investigator for the Central Alabama Society for Paranormal Investigation and Research.TALLADEGA, Ala. - There are sounds of chains clanging in the attic, unknown voices filtering through the house or mysterious footsteps creaking along the stairway when nobody is there.
Who are you going to call? Well, of course, the ghostbusters.
Actually, ghostbusters, or ghost hunters, are not what the men and women who search high and low for things that go bump in the night like to be called in the new age of high-tech equipment, gadgetry and computers.
"Paranormal investigators," said Frank Lee, 35, of Pell City, founder and lead investigator for the Central Alabama Society for Paranormal Investigation and Research.
"We've seen quite a few ghosts that turned out to be busted water pipes or some type of electrical problem," said Lee, who along with a team of eight other ghost seekers investigates possible paranormal activity.
It's the unexplainable things that keep team members going back for more, searching for those ghostly answers.
"We have witnessed legitimate paranormal activities," Lee said. "We've seen things people would never believe, unless they were there and saw it for themselves."
Lee, a member of the U.S. Army National Guard, said society members come from all walks of life, and their paranormal investigations take them to private property sites, homes and businesses.
"We stay pretty busy," Lee said. "We have traveled some, to Northwest Alabama and Montgomery. I guess we do two or three investigations a month."
Lee said he has always had an interest in paranormal phenomena.
"And I've always liked helping people," he added. "This was a way to do both. Our focus is helping people."
They do not charge for paranormal investigations.
"Over the past few years there has been an increase in reports of paranormal activities," Lee said. "It could be because paranormal television programs have become more popular. It may be more acceptable to people now."
Lee said they have seen some cases that point to something as simple as a rodent problem. In other instances, the answer is not that simple.
"If we can't explain something naturally, we look at it being a possible paranormal activity," he said. "We are not thrill seekers. We try to conduct it [the investigation] professionally."
Initially, the team interviews people who have seen the strange occurrences.
The group researches the history of the property, looks at the geologic survey of the immediate area and takes various readings with electronic equipment. Members also inspect electrical and plumbing systems and anything else that could play a part in causing the alleged paranormal activity.
If more investigation warrants, the group sets up night-vision equipment, audio recorders, camcorders and other monitoring equipment.
Lee said cases generally take only a few hours once a preliminary investigation is done.
He said a determination is usually made about whether there are paranormal activities taking place.
He said in most cases residents are relieved.
"They have a sense of comfort," Lee said. "They are assured that they aren't going crazy."
Lee said members of his group have experienced numerous unexplained paranormal occurrences, like voices and outlines of shadows when there is nobody else around.
"There are things we couldn't explain," he said.
Only a few weeks ago, Lee experienced his most profound paranormal experience ever.
"We saw a 20-pound end table with marble top thrown across the room by something that wasn't there," he said. "It's pretty wild."