06/18/2026
🌪️💡 DID YOU KNOW?
Many residents have been asking about FEMA assistance following the June 11 storms and tornadoes that impacted Northwest Indiana.
Here’s what we have learned so far (because we didn’t know either) :
The National Weather Service confirmed that an EF-3 tornado struck Porter County on June 11, 2026, causing significant damage in areas such as Kouts.
While official confirmation regarding FEMA assistance remains pending, the Town of Merrillville and the Lake County Board of Commissioners have issued local disaster declarations to begin the process of pursuing state and federal recovery assistance.
At this time, the Indiana Department of Homeland Security is overseeing the disaster response and damage assessment process. State assessment teams were scheduled to survey affected areas, including Porter County, to determine whether damage thresholds have been met for additional government assistance.
📋 So what does this mean?
A tornado occurring does not automatically activate FEMA assistance.
Before state or federal resources can be approved, officials must document the overall impact on the community and determine whether the disaster exceeds local and state recovery capabilities.
Those assessments consider things such as:
✅ Damage to homes and businesses
✅ Infrastructure damage
✅ Emergency response costs
✅ Utility disruptions and prolonged outages
✅ Debris removal expenses
✅ Community-wide economic impacts
💡 Why does this matter to families?
If damage thresholds are met, it could make additional recovery resources available to affected communities. Depending on the type of declaration approved, assistance may support emergency operations, debris removal, infrastructure repairs, and in some situations programs that directly benefit residents.
If thresholds are not met, recovery efforts often rely more heavily on local governments, nonprofits, churches, food banks, volunteer organizations, and community donations.
This is why documenting storm impacts is so important. Every damaged home, prolonged power outage, food loss, business interruption, and recovery expense helps paint a clearer picture of the true impact these storms had on Northwest Indiana.
While official decisions are still pending, one thing is certain: recovery doesn’t end when the storm passes or the lights come back on.
Many families are still working to replace food, repair damage, recover financially, and rebuild a sense of normalcy.
💙 We will continue sharing updates as information becomes available regarding damage assessments, recovery efforts, and any potential state or federal assistance programs.
