[1] Melville set a goal of training 168 teams, one for each person who died in the attack on Oklahoma City, which she achieved in 2020.
[5] In 2007, Melville received a $100,000 Purpose Prize, awarded by San Francisco's Civic Venture for "people over 60 who have made important social innovations", for her work with the SDF.
SDF commits to taking care of its dogs for life, and finds appropriate homes for those that are unable to complete the training program.
[1] The dogs undergo six to eight months of training, starting with learning to bark when they encounter live human scent.
The training center covers 145 acres and contains multiple settings that simulate disaster environments.