Yolanda Ojeda, 65, of Locust Avenue in Gary, has been living without electricity since August 11. Despite being prepared with a generator, she found it malfunctioned when she needed it most. “It wouldn’t start,” she said, recounting the effort involved in moving the heavy equipment. Ojeda continues to work long hours at Cleveland-Cliffs in East Chicago, often arriving home to darkness and navigating streets without lights cautiously. “I can’t navigate at night without streetlights,” she explained.
Many residents in Gary have endured similar hardships since the power outage began. The city was not included in NIPSCO’s projected community restoration timeline, which spans until 11:59 p.m. on August 25. Other nearby areas like Hammond, East Chicago, and Portage are also without specific restoration updates. NIPSCO’s website states that affected communities could be part of a larger service area still being assessed.
Mayor Eddie Melton addressed the issue, emphasizing the city’s efforts to assist residents. “The City of Gary is here, and we are working every day to respond to the damage, connect residents with resources they need, and help our community recover,” he said.
As of 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, NIPSCO reported that 26,836 residents in Gary were still without power. A power line in Ojeda’s yard remains unrepaired, although she maintains a hopeful outlook. “I’m blessed that I still have my house,” she remarked.
Across the service area, 95,161 people lack power. NIPSCO expressed understanding of customers’ frustrations, highlighting the complexity and severity of damage affecting restoration efforts. Priorities for repair are determined by system needs and safety.
Residents like Ollicia England, 43, echo these concerns. Living on East Fifth Avenue, England and her aunt, a heart monitor-dependent resident of the same neighborhood, recently purchased generators to sustain themselves. “It’s a lot of older people in this neighborhood,” England said, noting the difficulties faced by those without generators.
Similarly affected is Moses Kearney, 54, who has incurred significant additional expenses, spending on fuel and food due to the ongoing power loss. “It looks like they’re restoring everything in Rensselaer,” he lamented, highlighting the lack of progress in Gary.
Derek Zugic’s family, owning multiple homes in Gary’s Miller area, prepared with generators but still find the situation challenging. “I don’t know how much longer we can do this,” he stated, acknowledging the work linemen are doing to restore power. Yet, he believes more diligent maintenance efforts could have mitigated the current crisis.
Community resources are strained. The Calumet Township Trustee’s Office announced the depletion of emergency food voucher assistance, having supported 773 residents. Further assistance and resources are being sought to address ongoing needs.
The Food Bank of Northwest Indiana and Gary Community Schools are organizing food distribution events across the region to support affected individuals.
Despite the challenges, the community remains resilient, with ongoing efforts to restore normalcy and support those in need.