Abe Powell, Bucket Brigade volunteers honored by Google for community response effort

MONTECITO, Calif. - On national First Responders' Day, Google is honoring community volunteers including the Bucket Brigade.

The non-profit has risen up to mobilize residents to help each other in a time of crisis.

A founding member, Abe Powell said he was a volunteer during the Tea Fire in 2008 to mobilize community members on Mountain Drive prior to a rain storm. He helped with a sandbag effort gathering 1000 volunteers using a Gmail account and Google forms.

Since then he formed the Bucket Brigade in response to the Montecito Mudflow of 2018 to help residents impacted by a deadly and destructive debris flow that affected hundreds of properties and caused an area-wide economic fall out. 23 lives were lost in the caastophe.

The group remains mobilized going forward with trail improvement and community gardens to battle food insecurity.

The growing number of supporters is 4500 strong.

"The Bucket Brigade's story of the way this community  came together in the face of what seamed like an overwhelming crisis inspired a lot of people to engage," said Powell.

With donations, tools and sweat, the bucket brigade made a difference in 2018,  and are making a difference to this day.

"We were incredibly honored to be included with this elite group of community resilience organizations selected from around the United  States," said Powell.

He said the Google technology helped to coordinate the efforts, "from our Gmail accounts,  to Google forms to google sheets to the drive collecting information, sharing information in a controlled way  and running a whole operation."

The Bucket Brigade has also restored two miles of these walkways. 

Eventually there will be a six mile map of walking paths, connecting schools and neighborhoods.

Walking paths are also being developed in other areas including rural communities of the Santa Ynez Valley.

 Residents there have called on the Bucket Brigade for advice and helping hands.

Most recently the urgent need is to help victims of the Alisal fire who have homes destroyed, some ended up full of ash and their mountain roads are in disrepair.

Powell said, "we are working with the survivors of the Alisal fire who have requested assistance in  cleanup and   reorganizing after a total loss or partial damage to their homes."

 In the future there will be more community "Victory Garden" type areas with neighbors developing sustainable food supplies and also community farm sites. Special plantings are being preserved to help restore native vegetation.

Together it is a safety net in a crisis, before and even when government help arrives.

Powell said, "you never know when it is your time  or someone you know  or someone you care about  and so the  important to know the community is going to step out to help and not just leave them out on their own."

For more information go to: Google First Responders

Watch tonight on Newschannel 3-12, and KKFX Fox 11 news.

(More details, photos and video will be added later today.)