Gary Indiana Becomes Trump's Katrina

BUT THE MEDIA DOESN'T CARE

By Mildred Robertson

Gary Indiana, a predominantly Black community where roughly a third of residents live below the poverty line, is struggling back from an unprecedented storm on August 11 that left many without power or resources. The storm is reminiscent of Katrina in New Orleans in 2005 where a lackluster federal response left thousands of New Orleanians struggling to survive. While Gary residents don't have to contend with the prolonged flooding experienced by New Orleans residents, the lack of access to life's necessities post-disaster are similar. 

Unfortunately, the vivid pictures of flooding that dominated the airwaves during the Katrina disaster have not occurred during the Gary, Indiana storm. Apparently, downed trees and damaged power lines are not as gripping or captivating for the media, as the heart-wrenching photos that came out of New Orleans. But the pain of the Indiana residents is just as real. 

The August 11 storms brought winds up to 99 mph to Northwest Indiana, downing trees and power lines and initially leaving more than half of Gary without electricity. Some residents entered a third week without power, creating the urgent need for food, laundry, showers, phone charging, and other basic services.

NIPSCO, one of Indiana's largest natural gas and electric companies, says it has experienced about 374,500 customer outages since Aug. 11.  The prolonged power outage affected more than 38,300 homes and businesses in Gary and government response has been slow.  Power restoration for remaining customers was expected by midnight on August 25, 2026.

The lengthy restoration has fueled questions about NIPSCO's response and the resilience of Gary's power grid, especially as neighboring communities recovered. While Gary struggled, residents in nearby Indiana received a better response rate to the disaster. ComEd restored nearly all customers across the state line within days.

 As of Monday morning, about 3,878 customers remained without power because of the storms. While Gary has received federal help through FEMA's emergency declaration, direct assistance to residents; food, supplies, cooling and other necessities is largely coming from charities and local and state efforts.  The August 15 emergency declaration allows FEMA to support state and local emergency protective measures, but it does not automatically provide individual assistance directly to households.

Gary Mayor Eddie Melton met with U.S. Senator Jim Banks to discuss federal disaster assistance and recovery needs. Melton also spoke with President Trump and urged swift federal action for Gary residents and neighborhoods.

While the disparity in restoration of services is troublesome, Gary apparently experienced more severe weather than Indiana. The National Weather Service says the storm intensified as it moved into Northwest Indiana, with a 99-mph gust recorded at Gary/Chicago International Airport, a speed that falls within the range of Category 2 hurricane winds.

Gary residents have called out state leaders, including Gov. Mike Braun, who said over the weekend that it was unacceptable that NIPSCO was taking so long to restore power while Illinois communities across the border had already been restored.

This is bigger than a power outage in Gary, Indiana," Bernice King, civil rights organizer and daughter of Martin Luther King Jr, said on social media. "It is part of a pattern. Black communities have too often been expected to endure conditions that would be treated as intolerable somewhere else."

Nonprofits, businesses, volunteers, and public figures have stepped up to fill the void, providing meals, supplies, funding, and other aid to affected residents. Raydia Martin, assistant director of the Flourish Community Hub at Flourish Church in Gary, said volunteers and community groups have been an important part of the response. The Chicago Bears announced a $200,000 storm relief donation, split evenly between Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago and Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary. World Central Kitchen distributed about 4,000 meals in Gary and nearby Lake Ridge with help from local volunteers.

As the city struggles to get back on its feet, the nation should examine partisan politics in federal services. On August 20, Indiana submitted a major disaster request seeking additional individual and public assistance, including possible FEMA support for households affected by this disaster. Gov. Mike Braun petitioned the federal government for assistance in 54 counties after the severe storm decimated the state's power system. President Trump approved the request for 21 counties,  less than half that number.  

Eligible residents in the designated counties can apply for grants of up to $5,000 to help cover immediate needs such as clothing and uninsured medical devices. Those affected should document damages and expenses and follow updates from the Indiana Department of Residents to find more information through the Indiana Department of Homeland Security.

Recovery and Cleanup

·   The American Red Cross offers disaster recovery resources on shelter, cleanup, and flood recovery. Call 1-800-733-2767 for assistance.  Keep photos and videos of storm damage and save receipts for repairs, temporary housing, replacement items, and other disaster-related expenses. Residents who were affected should continue saving documentation, monitoring official updates, and using available state and nonprofit recovery resources as they await further federal assistance.