Well, if you'd approach the issue _sensibly_, then the answer could be "why not both?"

Disaster preparation is very much about community. A mistake or lack of luck can easily wipe out your "preparation." A disjointed community can eradicate it (and yeah, they'll spot your creepy 'grey man' shtick eventually). But a community could, and arguably should, prepare itself for possible disasters.

But what do I know, I just live in a place where if a levee breaks somewhere half the country will be taking boats to work.