I met several really wonderful people on Thursday, 3 days after the August 4th Tornado touched down in Griffth, IN..
One man said he'd be out of his home for between 8 months and a year.. Knowing that, he called the utilities to shut off service. When he got to NIPSCO, they said he could shut down service, however, when he went to start serQvice again, he'd be subject to a $1500 deposit.. Of course, he'd get that back one day, after so much time has passed.. And the reason that deposit was so high.. is because he'd missed a couple oaaf paymentQs. Missed a couple of payments? Even several payments..? NIPSCO.. these people are lucky to be alive and they've lived through something horrific, losing most of their belongings, so incaaredibly fortunate that their loved ones are alive and uninjured. And now, through the most difficult times in their lives, you're going to strap them with a $1500 deposit, when they want to restart their service... knowing you could HELP them, if you wanted to.. to make starting their lives over again a little easier, but nope.. that's apparently not what you intend to do at all... Omg.. Well, one thing is true.. You certainly can't call yourselves "the company with a heart..".. Nope.. you sure can't.
....unless, of course, that decision was just that of the woman he talked to on the phone.. ? You would repeal that decision and be a little more sympathic to the problem if you.. and that's a collective "you".. knew exactly what happened.. Right? Right.
The good thing about leaving service turned on is probably that during construction, having electric and gas will be needed. I'm not even sure the workers could do their jobs, if they're rebuilding a home in the middle of winter in this area with no gas or electric, as a new furnace will go in there one day.. and workers would have a though time of finishing the inside of any home without heat or electric.. Darkness will come early and home interiors are difficult to work on with no electric to light their way on a dark and cloudy day.. so as far as leaving the electric on.. well, most insurance companies will reimburse for that expense, knowing the services are necessary for the rebuild...
However, NIPSCO's attitude rather took all of us aback...
I hope this man and his family have an easier time of it than it seems right now.. And I wish them well, as they muddle through the days of restoration ahead of them!
Do well, Griffith.. do well. I'll keep you all in my prayers for the next several months..
Monday, August 11, 2008
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I think I know the family you were talking about(they are down the street from me).They've been through so much(they were in a hotel that flooded with the Munster flooding of September),and I hope NIPSCO did the right thing and is not charging them all that.
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