93 Year Old Man freezes to death (warning!!)

[Shaunsmom]

I am appalled at this story!

A 93 year old man in Michigan died because the temperatures in his house were so low (per the electric company's power to do so due to lots of unpaid bills by the gentleman).

Read story here: http://news.aol.com/article/man-93-freezes-to-death-in-home/318210

I am so glad that I live in the great state of WI, which is almost right next door to Michigan. At least here in the winter, you cannot be shut off for non-payment of your heating/electric bills.

From something like November 1 thru April 1, you cannot be shut off here. Why so different in Michigan?

[MiMi_of_4]

That story broke my heart. He died all alone ~

[Monkeytoes]

Poor guy. :(

[Iconoclast]

In this state, they shut it off no matter what tiem of year. If you don't ay the bill, you don't get services.

[tata]

I tweeted that story the other day after a friend linked me to it. It's terrible. Our state is like yours, the heat won't be shut off due to non-payment.

Folks, check on your neighbors, particularly the elderly!!!

[JudyJudyJudy]

That absolutely sickens me.

[KerryS]

Wow, I thought that was the law in all states. Guess not.

[Psyche]

I'm pretty sure DTE won't turn it off or if you call and make arrangements, they won't either.

I'm not sure on the income guidelines but they also have it so that those on a limited income won't be without heat.

[JudyJudyJudy]

I don't know a whole lot about this, but based on my understanding, at least here, it is your responsibility to call the utility companies and discuss dire situations. I suspect the poor man did not do this; he may not have been able to even handle his bills anymore. Obviously, there was no family looking in on him. :(

There was a situation in Atlanta a decade or so ago where a kid was on oxygen, and Georgia Power cut off the family's electricity. The child died. I think the mother had tried to work with the utility company in that case, but since it wasn't winter, no one would work with her.

[Justicedog]

There was a law here for awhile to prevent utility shut offs in the winter, but it's no longer. There is a law for utility shut offs when someone in the house has medical issues where they need electricity, but they have to submit a doctor's note to the utility company.

I'm not going to go all - horrible utility company - they're a business and need to at least break even. I do think that there shoud be some safeguards in place. Visiting people before shutting off the power, referring people to adult protective services (or child protective services) so that they may get help. I imagine this guy wasn't able to handle his bills and would have been helped if someone could have come in, contacted the utilities and say, hey, here's $x, that's what he has, he'll pay more later.

Lots of folks who have their utilities turned off move in with family and friends.

[MoonBound]

I think it sucks that the power company rep was blaming the neighbors for not checking on him sooner. i realize that is probably not what he meant by the remark but at the same time i think it was over the line.

[Nipple_nectar]

I think it's sickening. In the state of Pa, they will shut you off regardless of the temperature.

My next door neighbor is a single mom, struggling to keep food on the table. She wanted help with her bills, getting organized and on a budget and I offered to help.

I called PECO for her to apply for a payment arrangement. She did not qualify for an arrangement because she did not follow through on a payment arrangement made five years prior. FIVE YEARS PRIOR.

I'm sorry, but that is effed up.

[MiMi_of_4]

I think it sucks that the power company rep was blaming the neighbors for not checking on him sooner. i realize that is probably not what he meant by the remark but at the same time i think it was over the line.

It came across as a low blow to me, too. Even if he didn't mean it to say the way it sounded, it certainly sounded like he thought they had fallen down on the job...so sad...

[JudyJudyJudy]

It came across as a low blow to me, too. Even if he didn't mean it to say the way it sounded, it certainly sounded like he thought they had fallen down on the job...so sad...
It sounds to me like they're trying to get the monkey off their own backs.

[Monkeytoes]

I know here in Indiana they are not aloud to turn off your heat if you have small kids in the home.

[Justicedog]

I think it sucks that the power company rep was blaming the neighbors for not checking on him sooner. i realize that is probably not what he meant by the remark but at the same time i think it was over the line.


I agree. He should never have mentioned anything other than, we are saddened to learn of Mr. so and so's death. We did x, y and z .

[Iconoclast]

Poor PR.

[Earthmama]

Good idea to check on the neighbors, but bad PR to suggest it in that phrasing and timing. It does come across as deflecting blame.

And in today's economy, I imagine more and more are having problems paying their energy bill.

[Shaunsmom]

I wonder what power company provided service to this poor man.
(no, I haven't looked back in the original story yet)

I was researching Wisconsin Public Service's web site yesterday. WPS provides gas/electricity to our Green Bay area. I know of the mandatory no shut off period. Doesn't matter income or kids or whatever. They cannot shut you off from Nov. 1 thru March 31.

WPS also provides service to parts of Michigan. I have to wonder though, is it just the Upper Peninsula area of Michigan (closest to and borders WI)?

This story sucks on so many levels- it's not funny.

ETA: The company is not WPS. It's called Bay City Electric Light and Power. For those living in MI and that have this particular company, I hope that you have made payment arrangements. How many more people will possibly die because of something just like the original story?

[Sashahomeschoolmama]

I think it's sickening. In the state of Pa, they will shut you off regardless of the temperature.

Indiana too. In fact, in my MIL's town they are instituting a new ordinance that you can only make a late payment arrangement once in a 12 month period. And we're talking utility companies that shut you off if you are 30 days past due so we're not talking $300 past due amounts that could possibly really impact a company.

Considering the amount of meth labs in the area perhaps they figure that the people can afford it.

[Sashahomeschoolmama]

I know here in Indiana they are not aloud to turn off your heat if you have small kids in the home.


When I lived in a duplex in Bloomington the neighbors had their gas shut off in February. They had three kids under 5.

[VegasLactivist]

Here in Clark County Nevada, if you have a person over age 62 in your home, your power will not be shut off.

[Suzzzz]

That really is sickening. That poor man. We also cannot have our heat cut off in the winter here. I don't think anyone should have regardless of their age. I can see cutting off for non-payment but not when conditions are such that someone can die as a result.

I agree they should have at least visited the man first. Discusting.

[foxinsocks]

There should have been some sort of services looking in on this man. I work with the elderly all of the time and this makes me sick. I don't understand why there isn't some sort of elderly services that looks in on folks who live alone after age 85+. The has got to be a way to track the elderly. Some of the conditions that these poor people come from, its awful. This just shouldn't have happened.

We have winter shut off protection here in Mass.

[MoonBound]

The neighbor stated that bills where on the man's table with money clipped to them, perhaps if they hadn't shut it off and killed him he would've gotten the money into the mail.