FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 19, 2004

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Larry Graham, Manager
NIPSCO Communications
(260) 439-1330

NIPSCO To Begin 2004 Natural Gas and Electric Safety
Training for Area Fire Departments and Emergency Responders
Over 600 firefighters and other emergency response personnel trained during 2003

MERRILLVILLE, Ind. -- Beginning in September, Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) will begin contacting fire departments and other emergency response personnel regarding the utility’s annual Firefighter’s Natural Gas and Electric Safety Seminar training. Over 600 firefighters and other emergency responders were trained by NIPSCO during 2003 in both natural gas and electric safety across the utility’s northern Indiana service area

NIPSCO’s Training and Development department has been conducting the safety seminars, which are provided at no charge, for over 30 years. The seminars instruct emergency responders in proper procedures when dealing with emergencies where natural gas and/or electric utility service is present or part of an emergency situation.

"NIPSCO’s safety seminars evolved from the realization that, in addition to training our own employees, local fire departments and other public safety personnel also needed to know proper procedures to follow when responding to emergencies where natural gas and electric utilities are involved," said NIPSCO President Mark Maassel. "Ultimately, our goal is to do everything possible to assure the safety of the general public as well as all public safety personnel when emergencies occur."

In addition to the direct benefits from the safety seminars, Maassel noted that these interactions help develop NIPSCO’s relationship with local emergency response personnel, with whom the utility often works closely when responding to emergency situations where natural gas and/or electric service is involved.

NIPSCO To Begin 2004 Natural Gas and Electric Safety Training for Area Fire Departments and Emergency Responders

"NIPSCO has been providing natural gas and electric safety training for years, and is an important part of our training program," said City of Gary Fire Chief Robert Walker, whose department received natural gas and electric safety training during 2003. "NIPSCO and the City of Gary Fire Department often need to work together closely during emergency situations and the training provided by NIPSCO has allowed us to do our job more safely and effectively."

The electric seminar safety training includes a review of basic electricity and awareness of electrical hazards, a presentation on NIPSCO’s overhead and underground distribution system, a review of possible emergency response scenarios, such as a downed wire on an occupied vehicle, and how to safely shut off electric meters during an emergency.

Gas safety training reviews the characteristics of natural gas, measuring for natural gas and carbon monoxide levels, a basic overview of NIPSCO’s natural gas delivery systems, and recommended procedures for responding to different types of gas leak scenarios that emergency response personnel might encounter.

NIPSCO trains approximately one-third of all fire departments and emergency responders located in its service area on a three-year rotation cycle.

NIPSCO, with headquarters in Merrillville, Ind., is one of the 10 energy distribution companies of NiSource Inc. (NYSE: NI). With nearly 700,000 natural gas customers and 440,000 electric customers across the northern third of Indiana, NIPSCO is the largest natural gas distribution company, and the second largest electric distribution company, in the state. NiSource distribution companies serve 3.7 million natural gas and electric customers primarily in nine states. More information about NIPSCO is available at www.nipsco.nisource.com.