"That Others May Live"

Meet Our Team : Jessica Cox

Position : K9 Handler, Vice President

K9(s) : Shadow

Growing up in Idaho as an avid outdoorsman, Jessica had always longed to be a part of the search and rescue operations that took place in the backcountry because it would combine two of her loves - backpacking and helping others. Although she did not get the chance to be a part of the search community in Idaho, when she moved to Maryland and married her wonderfully psychotic and obsessive-compulsive husband Brian : ), a series of events led her to MDRD. Her life was changed dramatically, not only was she newly married in a state 3000 miles from her family she also became an instant dog owner, which was quite different from the 4 cats she had grown up with. The neglected German shepherd named Rainbow was a part of their lives for 3 years and in that short time left paw prints on their hearts forever. She showed them that German Shepherds were the way to go and the ideas of being able to get a puppy and become part of a search and rescue team came rolling back in. A few months later, Jessica and Brian welcomed a new addition to the family, a 3 month-old black and tan German Shepherd named Kora. Kora turned out to be just a younger version of Rainbow with the same great demeanor, loyalty, intelligence, and stubbornness. She was a perfect fit for the family. Over the next few months Jessica convinced her husband Brian (also an MDRD member) that K9 search and rescue was something they should do together. The three of them joined MDRD in August of 2004 not realizing what an effect it was going to have on their lives. Kora took to searching like a fish in water! There was no going back.

Jessica took on the responsibility as Base Camp Operator, escort, and training coordinator when they decided that Kora and Brian made the perfect working pair. Jessica has attended classes in search management, tracking, wilderness survival, Incident Command System, land navigation, and is certified as a Wilderness First Responder. Early in 2006, Jessica purchased a puppy named Shadow to use for search and rescue (SAR). She and Shadow have begun their testing assessments and have passed their Open Field Assessment. Jessica has passed Managing Land Search Operations (MLSO) course and is a SARTECH II. Jessica and her husband, Brian, are helping to raise the next generation of SAR K9 handlers - their toddler is often found at trainings helping handlers work their dogs.