Restaurant Disaster and the Waffle House Index
You won’t find it mentioned in any official documents, but the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) relies on an unusual measuring stick for determining the damage left by hurricanes and other severe storms – whether or not the local Waffle House is open for business.
An index based on business continuity
FEMA researchers noticed that the Southern diner giant – most of the chain’s 1,600 locations are located in Florida and along the Gulf Coast – consistently ranked as both one of the businesses most likely to remain open and one of the fastest to re-open after tornadoes, hurricanes and severe storms have struck.
The “Waffle House Index” gauges the severity of damage according to how much of their menu and service the local Waffle House can offer its customers:
• Green means a full menu is availabe, with power restored and relatively minimal damage.
• Yellow indicates a limited menu, meaning power is limited or supplied only by generator.
• Red means the restaurant is closed.
FEMA chief Craig Fugate explained that a closed Waffle House indicates damage in the immediate area is severe and that the locals need immediate assistance. The index first became public in the wake of the tornado that struck Joplin, Missouri in May 2011, when the city’s two locations stayed open throughout the tornado and its aftermath.
Natural disaster planning as a matter of course
Headquarted in the Atlanta suburb of Norcross, Waffle House fully embraced its emergency preparedness after Hurricane Katrina ravaged parts of Louisiana and Mississippi in 2005. Seven locations were forced to close, but locations that remained open saw a dramatic surge in business.
All Waffle House locations are now equipped with a natural disaster recovery plan, including a pared-down menu and detailed emergency management guides that explain how to conduct business in the event of a variety of contingencies.
An index based on business continuity
FEMA researchers noticed that the Southern diner giant – most of the chain’s 1,600 locations are located in Florida and along the Gulf Coast – consistently ranked as both one of the businesses most likely to remain open and one of the fastest to re-open after tornadoes, hurricanes and severe storms have struck.
The “Waffle House Index” gauges the severity of damage according to how much of their menu and service the local Waffle House can offer its customers:
• Green means a full menu is availabe, with power restored and relatively minimal damage.
• Yellow indicates a limited menu, meaning power is limited or supplied only by generator.
• Red means the restaurant is closed.
FEMA chief Craig Fugate explained that a closed Waffle House indicates damage in the immediate area is severe and that the locals need immediate assistance. The index first became public in the wake of the tornado that struck Joplin, Missouri in May 2011, when the city’s two locations stayed open throughout the tornado and its aftermath.
Natural disaster planning as a matter of course
Headquarted in the Atlanta suburb of Norcross, Waffle House fully embraced its emergency preparedness after Hurricane Katrina ravaged parts of Louisiana and Mississippi in 2005. Seven locations were forced to close, but locations that remained open saw a dramatic surge in business.
All Waffle House locations are now equipped with a natural disaster recovery plan, including a pared-down menu and detailed emergency management guides that explain how to conduct business in the event of a variety of contingencies.