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Trainer Todd Frazier rewards a Ground Zero canine with a toy after he finds another trainer in the trunk of a car, below. Bob Lane and Becky Switzer look on.
At GROUND ZERO Becky and Barry Switzer have taken their passion for helping in times of disaster to a whole new level — Ground Zero. The retired University of Oklahoma gymnastics coach and the famed football coach formed the organization in 2017 to meet the needs of a critical shortage in search and rescue canines. But, the idea for Ground Zero dates back to the time following the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building on April 19, 1995. Becky and Barry found that Oklahoma was vulnerable in its ability to prepare and respond adequately to natural and man-made disasters. And, that the reason for the shortage of elite working canines was due to a lack of trainers and training facilities available. See Page 4 Nichols Hills & NW OKC Community Magazine 3
At GROUND ZERO Above: The rubble at Ground Zero. At right: Trainer Todd Frazier with a puppy in a box of water bottles.
- Photos by Rose Lane
Becky Switzer loves on one of the Ground Zero puppies.
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From Page 3
Above: A dog on point on the agility course at the training facility in Tuttle. At left: One of the boxes trainers put human remains in.
Multiple tragedies followed, including the devastating Moore tornadoes of May 1999 and May 2013 as well as 9/11. After 9/11, the Switzers knew something had to be done to strengthen emergency response at the local, state and national level. “To get dogs in here from other states takes too much time,” Barry said. “I think you are only as good as you are local.” “We deserve to have our own force and we got a kickstart from some great partners.” One of the best of those was the Chickasaw Nation. It was Secretary of Commerce Bill Lance, Jr., who said, “We have to do this.” They found 60 acres with a house in Tuttle. There was an irony associated with the OKC bombing and with the town. “We had no idea Alfred P. Murrah was from Tuttle,” Becky said. They brought in former police officer and top notch dog trainer Todd Frazier from Mississippi. Thus, Ground Zero Canines was whelped. The dogs trained by Ground Zero are bred by Todd and are Labrador Retrievers and Belgium Malamutes. Todd and the other trainers begin working with the puppies when they are just 3-days-old. Training continues for 16-18 months. They must be exposed to all kinds of stimuli. Todd said they use everything from music to disco lights to fog to teach the animals not to be distracted. Their “reward” is a toy. Inside the training center, the trainers place human remains inside one of several boxes and set the dog free to determine which box it is in. They run puppies through bins of empty water bottles in search of the toy. Outside, Ground Zero has piles of rubble, similar to what dogs will find in a disaster situation. The dog must run through insulation, boards, glass, rebar and nails. The dogs respond to human scent, so one such training exercise involves putting a person in the trunk of one of the cars and having the dog find them. The dogs also run agility courses.
While some of the dogs are used for disaster response, others are trained to find missing persons. Sometimes, Becky said, the search becomes a recovery mission. “You don’t celebrate a loss, but you are happy to bring closure to the families.” They practice, practice, practice in order to be prepared for any disaster or search and rescue mission. But, at the same time, they hope the worst-case scenario won’t raise its ugly head. “Football teams know they are going to play on the weekend,” Barry said. “You don’t want (the dogs) to have to play the game.” While many of the dogs are sent to be a part of other SAR teams, Ground Zero now has its own force, thus cutting response time. Becky and Barry and Ground Zero are hoping to educate the public about the work of search and rescue dogs. They have written their own curriculum to teach at the OKC National Memorial and Museum. Becky, Barry and Todd agreed that you have to have a passion for the canines and their work to keep going. “Nonprofit work is the hardest work ever,” Becky said. “You have to love it,” Todd said. “People don’t just do it for the heck of it.” For more information or to make a donation, visit www.groundzerosaveslives.com. — Rose Lane
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2020 Beaux Arts Debutantes
Grace Affolder
Meg Bohanon
Audrey Brigham
Ella Brinkman
Caroline Grace Affolder attends the University of Oklahoma. She is the daughter of Julie Affolder and Brian Affolder.
Margaret Elizabeth Bohanon attends the University of Colorado Boulder. She is the daughter of Kim and Philip Bohanon.
Audrey Elise Brigham attends the University of Alabama. She is the daughter of Megan and Vince Brigham.
Ella Lillian Brinkman attends the University of Oklahoma. She is the daughter of Lillie-Beth Sanger Brinkman and Wade Brinkman.
Anna Buckley
Maddie Clarke
Brooklynn Dyson
Julia Grantham
Anna Katherine Buckley attends the University of Arkansas. She is the daughter of Elizabeth Richardson and Andrew Buckley.
Madeline Elizabeth Clarke attends the University of Oklahoma. She is the daughter of Jayne Clarke and Ross Clarke.
Brooklynn Baye Dyson attends the University of Arkansas. She is the daughter of Stacey and Bryan Dyson.
Julia Blair Grantham attends Arizona State University. She is the daughter of Jennifer and Tim Grantham.
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2020 Beaux Arts Debutantes
Lucy Greene
Kendall Harrison
Caroline Hawley
Lucy Suzanne Greene attends Oklahoma State University. She is the daughter of Jill and Trey Greene.
Lucinda Kendall Harrison attends High Point University. She is the daughter of Natalie Shirley and Celina and Russ Harrison.
Caroline Elyse Hawley attends Texas Christian University. She is the daughter of Stacey and Brad Hawley.
Nichols Hills & NW OKC Community Magazine 7
2020 Beaux Arts Debutantes
Emma Love
Julia Love
Isabel O’Connor
Libby McLaughlin
Emma Katherine Love attends the University of St. Andrews, Scotland. She is the daughter of Malia and Frank Love.
Julia Elisabeth Love attends Texas Christian University. She is the daughter of Malia and Frank Love.
Isabel Marie O’Connor attends Loyola University. She is the daughter of Kim and Joe O’Connor.
Elizabeth Diane McLaughlin attends Oklahoma City University. She is the daughter of Liz and Tim McLaughlin.
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Nichols Hills & NW OKC Community Magazine 9
2020 Beaux Arts Debutantes
Anna Payne
Sophie Pilcher
Grace Pilcher
Caroline Pitzer
Anna Duphorne Payne attends Southern Methodist University. She is the daughter of Lori and Bond Payne.
Sophie Anastasia Pilcher attends North Oklahoma College. She is the daughter of Emily and Dan Pilcher.
Vera Grace Pilcher is the daughter of Emily and Dan Pilcher.
Caroline Harris Pitzer attends Oklahoma State University. She is the daughter of Jill and Clint Pitzer.
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2020 Beaux Arts Debutantes
Parker Poarch
Hallie Reiger
Sydney Schuppan
Phoebe Shapard
Parker Jane Poarch attends the University of Kansas. She is the daughter of Cacky Poarch and John Poarch.
Hallie Brugge Reiger attends Allegheny College. She is the daughter of Cristi and Kurt Reiger.
Sydney Olivia Schuppan attends the University of Southern California. She is the daughter of Leslie and Goetz Schuppan.
Phoebe Jean Shapard attends Austin College. She is the daughter of Kim and Bill Shapard.
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2020 Beaux Arts Debutantes
Megan Szymanski
Emily Tompkins
Megan Casey Szymanski attends the University of Oklahoma. She is the daughter of Monica and Brian Szymanski.
Emily Helynne Tompkins attends Vanderbilt University. She is the daughter of Cathy and Lane Tompkins.
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2020 Beaux Arts Escorts
Eric Abbott
Blake Adams
William Bennett
Parker Bentley
Bennett Brinkman
Park Cameron
Donald Childress
Zachary Conner
Christopher Geiger
Howard Greene IV
Dallas Lee Jr.
Jeffrey Lee Jr.
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2020 Beaux Arts Escorts
Caleb Magness
Stuart Martin
Joshua McDaniel
Jacob Meacham
Carter Moody
David Nelson
Joseph Nelson
Bryan Quigley
Winston Scambler 14 Nichols Hills & NW OKC Community Magazine
Chandler Shapard
Jack Story
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