FEMA Uses Waffle House Menu to Determine Storm Damage

How to Measure a Storm's Fury One Breakfast at a Time

 

Disaster Pros Look to 'Waffle House Index';

 

State of the Menu Gives Clue to Damage

 

By VALERIE BAUERLEIN

 

WELDON, N.C.—When a hurricane makes landfall, the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency relies on a couple of metrics to assess its destructive power.

 

First, there is the well-known Saffir-Simpson Wind Scale. Then there is what he calls the "Waffle House Index."

 

Green means the restaurant is serving a full menu, a signal that damage in an area is limited and the lights are on. Yellow means a limited menu, indicating power from a generator, at best, and low food supplies. Red means the restaurant is closed, a sign of severe damage in the area or unsafe conditions.

 

The mobile command center, above, went to Havelock, N.C., during Irene.

 

"If you get there and the Waffle House is closed?" FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate has said. "That's really bad. That's where you go to work."

 

Waffle House Inc. has 1,600 restaurants stretching from the mid-Atlantic to Florida and across the Gulf Coast, leaving it particularly vulnerable to hurricanes. Other businesses, of course, strive to reopen as quickly as possible after disasters. But the Waffle House, which spends almost nothing on advertising, has built a marketing strategy around the goodwill gained from being open when customers are most desperate.

 

 

Post Continues on online.wsj.com

FEMA Uses Waffle House Menu to Determine Storm Damage "UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS" RECEIVE $4 BILLION FROM IRS IN 2010? The last resort: More and more Americans are calling long-stay motels home Obama’s Enron Murdoch Nets $12.5M Bonus, Son James Declines Bonus Terrorism Today is Uploading Youtube Videos TSA Awareness Project - Topic spotlight WikiLeaks - A member Topic Spotlight WikiLeaks - Cable: UN peacekeepers traded food for sex Microsoft 'intentionally designed software for phones to track customers without their consent' Euro Govs: protected and participated in CIA ops which violated fundamental tenets of our systems of justice and human rights protection Base partially evacuated Hazmat situation, suspicious package reported at Scott Illinois Air Force Base Two Toronto PIGS Shiver In Fear Over Unruly 9 yr old - Forced to Handcuff Child U.S. newborn death rate tied with Qatar Conspiracy Files looks at why some people still question what really happened on 9/11 Support the Champion of the Constitution - www.ronpaul2012.com All charges dropped against Detroit mom Maryanne Godboldo Fast and Furious Fallout Willie Brown got low-key early warning about air travel on 9/11

Comment

You need to be a member of 12160 Social Network to add comments!

Join 12160 Social Network

"Destroying the New World Order"

TOP CONTENT THIS WEEK

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE SITE!

mobile page

12160.info/m

12160 Administrators

 

Latest Activity

cheeki kea favorited Doc Vega's blog post The Many Keys to Deadly Secrecy in our Government
5 hours ago
cheeki kea commented on cheeki kea's photo
5 hours ago
cheeki kea posted a photo
6 hours ago
cheeki kea replied to cheeki kea's discussion Tartaria
"Greetings to you John, You're right and it didn't take long for those manuals to totally…"
7 hours ago
Doc Vega posted a blog post

The Many Keys to Deadly Secrecy in our Government

We now know thanks to the legislation of FOIA access to federal documents and evidence and the…See More
10 hours ago
Less Prone favorited tjdavis's photo
yesterday
Less Prone favorited rlionhearted_3's photo
yesterday
John Miller commented on rlionhearted_3's photo
Thumbnail

Another incredibly Stupid!! What, no mirrors?

"Brutal post... not sure it’s helping anyone though."
yesterday
John Miller replied to cheeki kea's discussion Tartaria
"Tartaria: the empire that built half the world's cathedrals, then vanished because someone…"
yesterday
Burbia commented on rlionhearted_3's photo
Thumbnail

Another incredibly Stupid!! What, no mirrors?

"This movie portrayed plastic surgery as absurd. I guess the numbers in the real world are growing."
Tuesday
Burbia commented on tjdavis's photo
Thumbnail

Redux

"Ah yes, General Jussitri Smolletkov. Good tongzhi. Good tongzhi."
Tuesday
Doc Vega posted a blog post

Unusual Discoveries and Headlines

Archaeologists have discovered an ancient tool dated to be 6,000 years old, but even more…See More
Monday
tjdavis posted a video

Inside Texas HOMELESS HELL – Even Cops Don't Dare Step In! - Documentary

In this powerful documentary, we explore the escalating Texas homeless crisis 2025, where cities and rural areas alike are witnessing a disturbing rise in th...
Monday
tjdavis posted a photo
Monday
John Miller replied to MAC's discussion BREAKING! UFO whistleblowers drop BOMBSHELL on D.C. | Redacted with Natali and Clayton Morris
"Crazy how these whistleblower stories are finally making it into bigger conversations. Makes you…"
Sunday
Burbia favorited tjdavis's blog post The Dems Love Their Demons
Sunday
John Miller commented on tjdavis's photo
Thumbnail

Comprehensive Coverage

"That car needs an exorcism, not an oil change."
Saturday
John Miller commented on tjdavis's blog post The Dems Love Their Demons
"If the Dems are dating demons, then that AI romance shoot was basically engagement photos."
Saturday
John Miller replied to cheeki kea's discussion Would-Be Trump Assassin Ryan Routh Gave Many Interviews with Mainstream Media
"Wouldn't be surprised if there's a whole lot more buried under the surface here."
Saturday
Less Prone favorited rlionhearted_3's photo
Saturday

© 2025   Created by truth.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service

content and site copyright 12160.info 2007-2019 - all rights reserved. unless otherwise noted