Fostering connectionDave Peattie swears that the best thing he’s ever done for disaster preparedness is make sangria. Something as fun as a block party can lay the groundwork to eventually save a life during a disaster. “If people know their neighbors and have good relationships with their neighbors, then they’re better positioned to help take care of each other no matter what happens.”Community Connectors. Emergency preparedness can take years, which can be paralyzing, said Claire Riley, who chairs the Wonderland Hills Fire Mitigation Committee. Not money, not resources, but neighbors helping neighbors.