The Waffle House Index is a metric named after the ubiquitous Southern US restaurant chain Waffle House known for its 24-hour, 365-day service. Since this restaurant always remains open, it has given rise to an informal but useful metric to determine the severity of a storm and the likely scale of assistance required for disaster recovery.[1][2] It was coined by former administrator Craig Fugate of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).[3] The metric is unofficially[1][4] used by FEMA to inform disaster response.[5][6]
The index is based on Waffle House's reputation for having good disaster preparedness and staying open during extreme weather or reopening quickly afterwards.
If you get there and the Waffle House is closed? That's really bad...[7]
— Craig Fugate, Former Head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency
Levelsedit
The index consists of three levels, based on the extent of operations and service at the restaurant following a storm:[7][8][9]
GREEN: full menu – Restaurant has power and damage is minimal or absent.
YELLOW: limited menu – Power is either absent or delivered by a generator, or food supplies are running low.
RED: the restaurant is closed – Indicates severe damage or severe flooding; Severe destruction to the restaurant.
Backgroundedit
The term was coined by FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate in May 2011 following the 2011 Joplin tornado, during which the two Waffle House restaurants in Joplin remained open.[3][10][11]
The measure is based on the reputation of the restaurant chain Waffle House for staying open during extreme weather and for reopening quickly, albeit sometimes with a limited menu, after very severe weather events such as tornadoes or hurricanes. The chain's disaster preparedness measures include assembling and training "Waffle House jump teams" to facilitate fast reopening after disasters.[7] Waffle House, along with other chains (such as Home Depot, Walmart, and Lowe's) which do a significant proportion of their business in the southern US where there is a frequent risk of hurricanes, have good risk management and disaster preparedness. Because of this, and the fact that a cut-down menu is prepared for times when there is no power or limited supplies, the Waffle House Index rarely reaches the red level.[7][3]
The "Waffle House Index" sits alongside more formal measures of wind, rainfall, and other weather information, such as the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale, which are used to indicate the intensity of a storm.[7]
Dan Stoneking, FEMA director of external affairs, wrote in a FEMA blog post:[12][13]
As Craig [Fugate] often says, the Waffle House test doesn’t just tell us how quickly a business might rebound – it also tells us how the larger community is faring. The sooner restaurants, grocery and corner stores, or banks can re-open, the sooner local economies will start generating revenue again – signaling a stronger recovery for that community. The success of the private sector in preparing for and weathering disasters is essential to a community’s ability to recover in the long run.
— Dan Stoneking, FEMA News of the Day – What do Waffle Houses Have to Do with Risk Management?
A FOIA request response in 2017 included emails saying that the Waffle House Index was a personal project of Craig Fugate's, denying a connection between the Waffle House Index and FEMA's National Business Emergency Operations Center.[14]
"When a Hurricane Strikes, Weather the Storm With Waffles" video news report from Voice of America
In 2022, because of the expected severity of Hurricane Ian, 35 Waffle Houses closed in Florida prior to the storm's arrival, an extremely rare event. Hurricane Ian eventually made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 155 miles per hour (249 km/h), peaking out over the Atlantic Ocean as a Category 5 hurricane.
See alsoedit
Big Mac Index – Economic index published by The Economist
Tornado intensity and damage – Measurement of strength and severity of tornadoesPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets
Referencesedit
^ abRossman, Sean (September 7, 2017). "How FEMA uses Waffle Houses in disasters". USA Today. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
^Zraick, Karen; Caron, Christina (September 13, 2018). "Landfall, Storm Surge and the Waffle House Index: Hurricane Terms and What They Mean". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
^ abcWalter, Laura (July 6, 2011). "What Do Waffles Have to Do with Risk Management?". EHS Today.
^Mettler, Katie (October 7, 2016). "The 'Waffle House index': Hurricane Matthew is so scary even the always-open eatery is evacuating". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
^McKnight, Brent; Linnenluecke, Martina K. (2016). "How Firm Responses to Natural Disasters Strengthen Community Resilience: A Stakeholder-Based Perspective". Organization & Environment. 29 (3): 290–307. doi:10.1177/1086026616629794. ISSN 1086-0266. JSTOR 26164770. S2CID 147604088 – via JSTOR.
^Wolff-Mann, Ethan (October 7, 2016). "Here's what FEMA told us about the Waffle House Index". Yahoo! Finance. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
^ abcde(subscription required)Bauerlein, Valerie (September 1, 2011). . The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on February 15, 2015.
^Fugate, Craig (May 28, 2016). "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!". National Public Radio.
^Smith, K. Annabelle (August 30, 2012). "How Waffle House Uses Twitter to Help Recovery Efforts". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
^"What the Waffle House Can Teach About Managing Supply Chain Risk". Insurance Journal. July 19, 2011.
^Brown, JPat (September 1, 2017). "FEMA really does have a 'Waffle House Index' for hurricanes – and they're not too happy about it". MuckRock. Retrieved October 30, 2019. Term first coined by FEMA Administrator Fugate in May, 2011, following Joplin tornado – two Waffle House restaurants remained open after EF5 tornado struck the city on May 22. Key quote: "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."
^. FEMA.gov. Archived from the original on July 28, 2020. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
^Judkis, Maura (September 12, 2018). "Hurricane Florence is a serious threat – just ask the Waffle House storm center". Washington Post. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
^Brown, JPat (September 1, 2017). "FEMA really does have a 'Waffle House Index' for hurricanes – and they're not too happy about it". MuckRock. Retrieved October 30, 2019. I wouldn't connect the Waffle House to the NBEOC. The Waffle House is Craig's thing.
External linksedit
Always Open | Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine
Colbert Report segment on FEMA's Waffle House Index
Data Crunch episode on the Waffle House Index
January 01, 1970
waffle, house, index, metric, named, after, ubiquitous, southern, restaurant, chain, waffle, house, known, hour, service, since, this, restaurant, always, remains, open, given, rise, informal, useful, metric, determine, severity, storm, likely, scale, assistan. The Waffle House Index is a metric named after the ubiquitous Southern US restaurant chain Waffle House known for its 24 hour 365 day service Since this restaurant always remains open it has given rise to an informal but useful metric to determine the severity of a storm and the likely scale of assistance required for disaster recovery 1 2 It was coined by former administrator Craig Fugate of the Federal Emergency Management Agency FEMA 3 The metric is unofficially 1 4 used by FEMA to inform disaster response 5 6 The remains of a Waffle House in Biloxi Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina Contents 1 Description 1 1 Levels 1 2 Background 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksDescription editThe index is based on Waffle House s reputation for having good disaster preparedness and staying open during extreme weather or reopening quickly afterwards If you get there and the Waffle House is closed That s really bad 7 Craig Fugate Former Head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency Levels edit The index consists of three levels based on the extent of operations and service at the restaurant following a storm 7 8 9 GREEN full menu Restaurant has power and damage is minimal or absent YELLOW limited menu Power is either absent or delivered by a generator or food supplies are running low RED the restaurant is closed Indicates severe damage or severe flooding Severe destruction to the restaurant Background edit The term was coined by FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate in May 2011 following the 2011 Joplin tornado during which the two Waffle House restaurants in Joplin remained open 3 10 11 The measure is based on the reputation of the restaurant chain Waffle House for staying open during extreme weather and for reopening quickly albeit sometimes with a limited menu after very severe weather events such as tornadoes or hurricanes The chain s disaster preparedness measures include assembling and training Waffle House jump teams to facilitate fast reopening after disasters 7 Waffle House along with other chains such as Home Depot Walmart and Lowe s which do a significant proportion of their business in the southern US where there is a frequent risk of hurricanes have good risk management and disaster preparedness Because of this and the fact that a cut down menu is prepared for times when there is no power or limited supplies the Waffle House Index rarely reaches the red level 7 3 The Waffle House Index sits alongside more formal measures of wind rainfall and other weather information such as the Saffir Simpson Hurricane Scale which are used to indicate the intensity of a storm 7 Dan Stoneking FEMA director of external affairs wrote in a FEMA blog post 12 13 As Craig Fugate often says the Waffle House test doesn t just tell us how quickly a business might rebound it also tells us how the larger community is faring The sooner restaurants grocery and corner stores or banks can re open the sooner local economies will start generating revenue again signaling a stronger recovery for that community The success of the private sector in preparing for and weathering disasters is essential to a community s ability to recover in the long run Dan Stoneking FEMA News of the Day What do Waffle Houses Have to Do with Risk Management A FOIA request response in 2017 included emails saying that the Waffle House Index was a personal project of Craig Fugate s denying a connection between the Waffle House Index and FEMA s National Business Emergency Operations Center 14 source source source source source source source source When a Hurricane Strikes Weather the Storm With Waffles video news report from Voice of America In 2022 because of the expected severity of Hurricane Ian 35 Waffle Houses closed in Florida prior to the storm s arrival an extremely rare event Hurricane Ian eventually made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 155 miles per hour 249 km h peaking out over the Atlantic Ocean as a Category 5 hurricane See also editBig Mac Index Economic index published by The Economist Pizza Meter Event predictor from pizza orders Tornado intensity and damage Measurement of strength and severity of tornadoesPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targetsReferences edit a b Rossman Sean September 7 2017 How FEMA uses Waffle Houses in disasters USA Today Retrieved October 31 2021 Zraick Karen Caron Christina September 13 2018 Landfall Storm Surge and the Waffle House Index Hurricane Terms and What They Mean The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved October 31 2021 a b c Walter Laura July 6 2011 What Do Waffles Have to Do with Risk Management EHS Today Mettler Katie October 7 2016 The Waffle House index Hurricane Matthew is so scary even the always open eatery is evacuating The Washington Post ISSN 0190 8286 Retrieved October 31 2021 McKnight Brent Linnenluecke Martina K 2016 How Firm Responses to Natural Disasters Strengthen Community Resilience A Stakeholder Based Perspective Organization amp Environment 29 3 290 307 doi 10 1177 1086026616629794 ISSN 1086 0266 JSTOR 26164770 S2CID 147604088 via JSTOR Wolff Mann Ethan October 7 2016 Here s what FEMA told us about the Waffle House Index Yahoo Finance Retrieved October 31 2021 a b c d e subscription required Bauerlein Valerie September 1 2011 How to Measure a Storm s Fury One Breakfast at a Time The Wall Street Journal Archived from the original on February 15 2015 Fugate Craig May 28 2016 Wait Wait Don t Tell Me National Public Radio Smith K Annabelle August 30 2012 How Waffle House Uses Twitter to Help Recovery Efforts Smithsonian Magazine Retrieved October 31 2021 What the Waffle House Can Teach About Managing Supply Chain Risk Insurance Journal July 19 2011 Brown JPat September 1 2017 FEMA really does have a Waffle House Index for hurricanes and they re not too happy about it MuckRock Retrieved October 30 2019 Term first coined by FEMA Administrator Fugate in May 2011 following Joplin tornado two Waffle House restaurants remained open after EF5 tornado struck the city on May 22 Key quote 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 News of the Day What do Waffle Houses Have to Do with Risk Management FEMA gov Archived from the original on July 28 2020 Retrieved September 12 2018 Judkis Maura September 12 2018 Hurricane Florence is a serious threat just ask the Waffle House storm center Washington Post Retrieved September 12 2018 Brown JPat September 1 2017 FEMA really does have a Waffle House Index for hurricanes and they re not too happy about it MuckRock Retrieved October 30 2019 I wouldn t connect the Waffle House to the NBEOC The Waffle House is Craig s thing External links editFEMA Blog News of the Day July 7 2011 What do Waffle Houses Have to Do with Risk Management Always Open Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine Colbert Report segment on FEMA s Waffle House Index Data Crunch episode on the Waffle House Index Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Waffle House Index amp oldid 1221221243, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
