Waffle House Index: The Hurricane Recovery Gauge That Actually Exists
As we saw once again with Hurricane Irene, the actual damage sustained during an intense bout of weather can be difficult to gauge based solely on weather alone… which is why FEMA has the Waffle House index.
Often, losses can be constrained to scattered pockets. While a storm, like Irene, can seem to almost be a dud, events like flooding (as seen in areas of upstate New York and Vermont) can follow and cause unprecedented devastation. And while Irene appeared in some areas to be a dud, the storm impacted many areas severely, and by some estimates will be one of the ten most costly weather events in American history.
Given unpredictable impact of hurricanes irrespective of appearances, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has a few methods of measuring the actual damage assessed in any given area hit by a hurricane. There are wind indexes, rainfall counts, and other specific weather-related processes to indicate a storm’s intensity. But recovery depends on a few more complex factors, some unrelated to the intensity of the weather. Enter the Waffle House index.
You might be thinking that the head of FEMA using Waffle House indexes to scale damage is a “heckuva job, Brownie” situation all over again. But in the context of recovery, the indicator cited by FEMA head Craig Fugate actually seems kind of… clever and intuitive.
Essentially, the Waffle House index is based on the fact that the businesses are 24/7 operations and deeply entrenched in a community. The WSJ explained the Waffle House index in better detail:
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.
Fugate added:
“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.”
What do you think about the Waffle House index? Genius or silly?
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Tags : fema, Hurricane Irene, hurricanes, waffle house, waffle house index
Posted: September 2, 2011
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Sep 2, 2011
Frigggggggin GENIUS!
Sep 2, 2011
Oh…my I would have never thought of that, as I didn't go to college and don't have any Degree's…
Dumb ass mother F@#%$*! Yes Allen Lewis, Friggggggin Genius!
Sep 2, 2011
Um…but there are not Waffle Houses all over like other businesses…Why Waffle House? Even 7-11 is limited, in my area we have mostly Circle K, then in other neighborhoods there are 7-11, so why limit to one business, when other neighborhoods have no waffle house at all to gauge.
Sep 2, 2011
good stuff!
Sep 2, 2011
i imagine it is called the Waffle House index because someone in the office is from the south and that was what he thought of at that moment. it sounds like they use the name for any 24/7 business.
Sep 2, 2011
waffle houses are prevelent on the east coast.
hurricanes are prevenlent on the east coast.
boom.
dumba**
i live in north ga and i haven't seen a 7-11 since i lived in FL.
Sep 2, 2011
That would make sense but if so the writers failed to mention that they use other businesses…I love me some scattered smothered covered and diced!!!!! Dang media editing.
Sep 2, 2011
@robert there is no reason to be an arse about it!
Sep 2, 2011
I think this is pretty genius.
i mean, there's a waho on every corner where I live in north ga.
and everytime I go up and down the east coast (where hurricanes strike), there's waffle houses galore.
i like the idea.
now, just get your as*es over to the closes waffle houses help those people!
Sep 2, 2011
Excuse me? Calling me dumbass? Do you talk like that to people on the street? I have lived up and down southestern US my whole life and I have lived in Orlando a long time. There is a 7-11 on Rouse and Colonial, and there are many more. Just because you don't see one where you were is MY POINT!!!! Different towns have different things…If you google Waffe House Orlando, you see them in certain areas concentrated, but in other areas big lack of them. You need to learn some manners that ain't how I was raised in the south. Internet you still need manners boy.
Sep 2, 2011
There's always a little bit of waffles in a disaster zone.
Sep 2, 2011
Waffle House index should be used to determine the status of congress when they are in and out of session. I feel they are scored a RED Light according to this index.
Sep 2, 2011
Waffle House index would be useless for Congress. They are all waffling 100% of the time.
Sep 3, 2011
We have many 7-11's in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Sep 3, 2011
I lived on the Mississippi coast when Katrina hit and I'd be willing to bet that the WH index was inspired by Katrina. There were literally Waffle Houses on every corner in Gulfport Ms and the ones closest to the beach took much longer to come back on line than the ones further inland.