This issue and concerns that has loomed over Gary indiana residents for decades.  The Pulaski Community Block Club Association is asking for Your help for better quality of life, future experiences of disaster awareness ! 

It's time to stand strong and strengthen our infrastructure situation and make everyone Accountable for our livelihood. (essential of life)

Petition for Infrastructure Equity, Accountable Utility Management, and Rapid Storm Recovery in Gary, IndianaTo: The Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) Leadership, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC), Gary City Leadership, and the Gary NAACP.The CrisisOn August 11, 2026, a severe derecho storm hit Gary with 99-mph winds, plunging thousands of residents into a devastating, two-week blackout [1, 2, 3]. While the weather was severe, the prolonged suffering of Gary’s residents was entirely preventable. It is the direct result of systemic neglect, fragile infrastructure, and a failure to protect our community [1, 2].We are calling on the Gary NAACP to champion our fight for recovery, environmental justice, and immediate systemic reform.The Real Reasons Behind the Neglect Decades of Economic Disinvestment: Since the decline of the steel industry, Gary’s eroded tax base has left local government budgets strained [1]. This financial starvation has resulted in a failure to maintain public spaces, clear overgrown vegetation, and upgrade vital city infrastructure [1]. Gary residents pay taxes and utility bills but receive second-rate infrastructure maintenance [1].A Vulnerable, Antiquated Grid: Much of Gary's power infrastructure relies on outdated, above-ground power lines running directly through dense, unmanaged tree canopies [2, 3]. When the storm hit, rain-soaked soil easily uprooted trees, crashing them directly into vulnerable power lines and paralyzing the entire city [2, 3]. NIPSCO’s Failed Vegetation Maintenance: Residents and local leaders have repeatedly criticized NIPSCO for failing to perform routine, preventive tree-trimming around power lines [3]. While NIPSCO claims its vegetation-management spending has doubled since 2016, the reality on our streets tells a different story [3]. Corporate neglect directly exacerbated this blackout, sparking well-deserved class-action lawsuits and state investigations [3].Compounded Delays in Low-Income Communities: Recovery efforts were painfully slow compared to wealthier regions. Safety concerns, including isolated local gunfire incidents, temporarily halted repair crews [3]. However, these incidents must not be used as an excuse to justify broader systemic delays, slow response times, and the abandonment of low-income neighborhoods during a crisis [3].Our Demands for Justice and RecoveryImmediate Debris & Vegetation Removal: We demand that the City of Gary and NIPSCO immediately clear all remaining hazardous storm debris and implement a proactive, aggressive, city-wide tree-trimming schedule to safeguard our neighborhoods against future outages.Infrastructure Modernization (Grid Undergrounding): NIPSCO must invest its corporate profits back into the communities it serves. We demand a comprehensive plan to modernize Gary's grid, including moving vulnerable power lines underground.Utility Accountability and Reparations: We demand that the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission hold NIPSCO fully accountable for maintenance neglect. NIPSCO must provide direct billing credits or compensation to residents who lost hundreds of dollars in spoiled food, medicine, and property damage during the 14-day blackout.Equitable Emergency Response Framework: The City of Gary, in partnership with emergency services and community organizations like the NAACP, must establish a transparent emergency response framework ensuring that low-income and minority communities are prioritized, not marginalized, during natural disasters.Sign the PetitionBy signing below, you stand with the residents of Gary in demanding infrastructure equity, environmental justice, and corporate accountability. We deserve a grid that keeps our lights on and a city that protects its people.