DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. -- Disasters don’t take a holiday and neither will the staff at the Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) operating in Freeport, Cicero, Westchester, Chicago State University and the Austin area of Chicago. The centers will be open Monday through Saturday, including Columbus Day, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., until further notice.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Less than two months after a presidential disaster declaration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has obligated more than $1.1 million to the state of Missouri for 90 projects for the repair of flood-damaged infrastructure.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa -- The joint state/FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) located throughout Iowa will be open on the Columbus Day holiday, Monday, Oct. 11, to serve those affected by the summer’s severe storms and flooding.

BISMARCK, N.D. - Turning to Mother Nature is providing an ingenious solution for a North Dakota rural electric cooperative (REC) and some customers who lost power to livestock well pumps after an ice storm last spring. The fierce April 1-2, 2010 “Good Friday” winter storm caused more than $30 million in damages to RECs statewide. Shortly thereafter, President Obama issued a federal disaster declaration to provide assistance to restore power and assist the RECs with infrastructure repairs.

WASHINGTON - As the seventh annual National Preparedness Month (NPM) comes to an end, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) continues to remind citizens of the importance of emergency preparedness throughout the year. NPM, sponsored by the Ready Campaign and Citizen Corps, is held each September. NPM encourages Americans to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses and communities.

DENTON, Texas -- Certain private nonprofit (PNP) organizations that experienced damages from severe storms and flooding earlier this summer in five New Mexico counties may be eligible for state and federal assistance, according to officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM).

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. -- Recipients of state and federal disaster assistance grants will not have to pay taxes on those funds.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa -- Officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division (HSEMD) announce that the Fayette County Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) at 200 West Charles St. in Oelwein will end operations at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 8, 2010.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa -- The deadline for Iowa disaster survivors to register for federal disaster assistance is Oct. 13, 2010, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division (HSEMD) announced today.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa -- Disaster Loan Outreach Centers in Cherokee and Wright counties will close for the Columbus Day Holiday, Monday, Oct. 11, re-opening the following day.

NEW ORLEANS – The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced today that almost $135 million has been obligated within the past week for hurricane Katrina and Rita recovery projects in Louisiana.

DENTON, Texas -- State agencies, local and tribal governments as well as certain private nonprofits in five New Mexico counties hit hard by summer flooding have less than two weeks remaining to file their official requests for federal assistance, according to officials with FEMA and the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM).

NEW BERLIN, Wis. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM) want Grant and Milwaukee County residents to know that disaster funding assistance to recover from severe storms, tornadoes and flooding from July 20-24 may not be taxable income. Disaster assistance will not affect Social Security benefit eligibility, state or federal retirement benefits or temporary public benefits.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa -- Survivors of the summer floods who have registered for assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency have easy access to a toll-free Helpline that can answer many of their questions.