Neighbors and strangers pulled together to help LA fire survivors – 60 years of research shows these unsung heroes are crucial to disaster response
- Written by Tricia Wachtendorf, Professor of Sociology and Director, Disaster Research Center, University of Delaware
Neighbors fill and pass a bucket of pool water to help extinguish a spot fire in Pacific Palisades, Calif., on Jan. 9, 2025.Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty ImageAs wildfires swept through neighborhoods on the outskirts of Los Angeles in January 2025, stories about residents there helping their neighbors and total strangers began...