08/11/2026
Thai storm was crazy!!! If you or anyone you know needs help please reach out and we can see if we have help. Small town life❤️
Chesterton Town Council President Erin Collins calls on neighbors to make a difference on this difficult day
Chesterton Town Council President Erin Collins, D-2nd, is reminding folks on this day of adversity of what has always made Duneland a special place to live: Neighbors helping neighbors, strangers offering strangers a hand.
Collins released the following statement late this afternoon, Tuesday, Aug. 11:
“Our community has sustained significant damage from today’s severe storm. Trees and large limbs are down throughout Chesterton, some have fallen on homes and property, and many residents remain without power.
“First and foremost, please stay safe. Be extremely cautious around downed trees, power lines, and damaged structures, and give our emergency responders and crews the space they need to safely do their work.
“The Community Room and adjoining open area at the town hall—726 Broadway—is open to anyone who needs a safe place with electrical service. If your home is without electricity, if you need to charge your phone or medical devices, if you need to cool off, or if you just need somewhere safe to shelter, please know that you are welcome to use the Community Room.
“In the middle of all this damage, I am once again reminded of what makes Chesterton such an incredible community: Our neighbors.
“If you are safe and able, please check on the people around you—especially our elderly residents, those who live alone, and anyone you know who may need a helping hand. If you have a chainsaw and the ability to safely help a neighbor with debris, please lend a hand. If you have power and someone nearby does not, offer them a place to charge a phone or cool down. Sometimes the smallest act of kindness can make an enormous difference on a day like today.
“There is a lot of cleanup ahead of us and it’s going to take some time. Our Street Department crews and our first-responders are working hard, and I am incredibly grateful for everyone who is out there responding to this storm and helping keep our community safe.
“Please be patient, please be careful, and please look out for one another.
“This is what community is about. When Chesterton gets knocked down, we help each other back up.
“Stay safe, Chesterton.”
NUMBERS TO CALL FOR ASSISTANCE
*Chesterton Street Department: 219-926-2222.
*Chesterton Police Department: 219-926-1136 (non-emergency).
*Chesterton Fire Department: 219-926-7162 (non-emergency).
NOTE: In the event of an emergency, CALL 911.
ALSO NOTE: If you see a downed power line, stay at least 50 feet away, treat it as live, and immediately call 911. THEN call NIPSCO’s emergency hotline at 1-800-464-7726.
“Never touch the wire or objects and puddles touching it,” NIPSCO emphasized.
For the record, Street Commissioner John Schnadenberg is calling this morning’s storm the worst he’s seen in 40 years of working for the Town of Chesterton.
The Public Affairs Liaison, who’s lived in the Town of Chesterton since 1997, agrees.
