In January 2025, the stories of local residents helped neighbors and strangers began to spread on social media.

Hollywood celebrities clean up the streets to let emergency vehicles pass by and report funds raised funds for fire victims. But there are many other examples of unknown people who help the elderly neighbors safety, and even drive a trailer to evacuate the horse.

Enterprises, including fitness centers, have opened facilities so that evacuation personnel can shower or charge mobile phones. Organizations that often deal with homeless people quickly mobilize their members to help to ensure that people flowing on the streets and camps can reach a safe place where fire and dangerous air quality are available.

According to the definition, disasters will overwhelm local resources, so non -governmental rescue workers like this are essential. Sixty years of research conducted by the Tract Research Center and other institutions of the University of Traveling University has repeatedly stated that effective disaster management needs to mobilize community resources far beyond official channels.

Generally, the response is carried out through local groups. These groups are formed to respond to the clear needs of the community and have common skills and interests. This is exactly what we see in Los Angeles.

There are thousands of people who provide help often

During the disaster period, the number of people who provides help from the incident, but the number may be huge.

After the Oklahoma City explosion in 1995, more than 6,800 volunteers cooperated with the Red Cross to carry out response. In the same year, volunteers who responded to the Japanese Kobe earthquake recorded more than 1 million activities, which was measured by the time they contributed by them.

In the in -depth study of the World Trade Center's attack on September 11, 2001, we interviewed local residents that they used retired fire ships to pump water at zero firefighters. Tropu, ferry and cruise operators in New York City and its surrounding areas immediately responded to quickly evacuate the 500,000 people in the area from danger. In fact, most of the ships involved belong to private companies. Other volunteers let the evacuation queue and organize materials and transportation to send people home.

More than 900 people (most of them act as unofficial) have been awarded medals or ribbons for their efforts in the Maritime response after the World Trade Center attack incident.

A survey conducted by residents after the earthquake in Mexico in 1985 found that nearly 10% of local residents volunteered to participate within the first three weeks of the response. After the earthquake in the Rompleta of California in 1989, a survey of residents of St. Cruise County and San Francisco County found that two -thirds of the public participated in response.

However, most of the local residents' work did during the disaster and after the disaster was not explained in the official report.

No mechanism can quantify neighbors or completely strange people to help someone escape the danger. However, studies have shown that when people are trapped and time is urgent, family, friends and neighbors are already at the scene, and they are most likely to save their lives. Generally, ordinary citizens also undertake instant mission such as clearing fragments. A telephone, a car, a place to wash clothes or a little bit of hard work can fill the blank, allowing firefighters and other formal response to focus on key actions.

Get the correct help where you need it

Each study of the Disaster Research Center on large -scale disasters reveals an emergency and informal help behavior of a certain degree of emergency.

Because the public lacks understanding of a large number of local residents (usually includes the victims itself) who have participated in it, it may lead to a large number of outsiders pouring in and eager to provide help. Their arrival will actually bring challenges to disaster relief.

When too many people appear, or when people try to carry out business outside their professional fields, they may put themselves and others in further risks. The community often needs materials, but the types of errors or active items provided at the error time may cause more problems than solving problems.

So, what can you do to support these local efforts?

Providing fiscal donations to a trusted disaster relief institution or local organization can greatly help provide support for the actual needs of the community. Organizations such as the American Red Cross or Feeding America or local community groups that often work in the region are usually the most suitable place to help the most needed places.

Long -term need to be proficient in help

In addition, please keep in mind that after the emergency, disasters are not over. The survivors of the fire in the Los Angeles area will face confusing and frustrating recovery tasks in the next few years.

It helps to help the past in the past -especially skilled help, such as construction experience or management insurance and the professional knowledge of the Federal Emergency Administration's documents -equally important.

For example, after the fire in 1970 destroyed hundreds of houses in San Diego, local architects, engineers and contractors contributed their time and skills to help people rebuild. Their work is coordinated by local architects and members of the Chamber of Commerce to ensure that the project is allocated to a reputable volunteer.

When we recognize the important way of helping people around the neighbors and strangers, a wider range of communities can support wildfire victims by providing correct help when recovering demand. Almost all skills that are useful during the peaceful period will be needed in the difficult years in the future.