Gary Residents Struggle with Extended Power Loss

Since August 11, Yolanda Ojeda, a 65-year-old resident of Gary, has been living without power at her Locust Avenue home. Prepared with a generator before the outage, she was surprised to find it malfunctioning. Despite preparing for the worst, she was left in the dark, unable to see around her house or properly navigate the streets after long shifts at Cleveland-Cliffs in East Chicago. Ojeda expressed difficulty driving at night due to a lack of streetlights and fallen power lines.

The residents of Gary are uncertain when their power will be restored. Many nearby cities, including Hammond, East Chicago, and Portage, face similar uncertainties as NIPSCO has not provided specific restoration estimates for these areas. The company’s website states that areas not listed might be part of a larger service area or still being assessed.

“I feel blessed that I’m alive, and that I’ve been able to make it to work,” said Ojeda, remaining hopeful for a resolution.

Mayor’s Statement

Gary Mayor Eddie Melton assured residents that the city is actively working to connect them with necessary resources and facilitate recovery. “You are not facing this alone,” he stated, emphasizing efforts to respond to the damage and aid community recovery.

NIPSCO reported that as of about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, 26,836 Gary residents remained without power. Ojeda’s outage resulted from a fallen power line hit by her neighbor’s tree. She has yet to see repair efforts begin.

Community Impact

Overall, 95,161 people across NIPSCO’s service area still lack electricity. The company is mobilizing resources, including crews and mutual aid personnel, and receiving support from the Indiana National Guard. Priorities are based on system needs and restoration efforts aim to efficiently return service to as many customers as possible.

Individual Challenges

Ollicia England, 43, and her aunt face similar hardships, relying on costly generators for medical equipment. England spent $700 on a generator, while her aunt spent $400. She worries for other older adults in her neighborhood who might not have generators.

Neighbor Moses Kearney, 54, also invested in a generator, spending $500, plus $30 per day on gas and $40 per day on food. He feels frustrated and neglected by power restoration efforts.

Derek Zugic, who owns multiple homes, acknowledges the difficulty for his family, despite having generators. He predicts a lengthy wait for complete power restoration due to pervasive infrastructure issues.

Andrew Kresge’s yard remained disrupted by a fallen tree over power lines, adding to Gary’s widespread devastation.

Resource Challenges

The Calumet Township Trustee’s Office reported depleting its emergency food assistance after helping 773 residents. Despite efforts, resources remain finite. Residents are encouraged to contact their representatives regarding additional disaster aid.

The Food Bank of Northwest Indiana schedules events to provide food distribution at various sites, offering much-needed support to struggling communities.

Gary Community Schools are also organizing food distribution events to assist residents.