The "Waffle House Index" FEMA Uses to Access Severity of Disaster

Yes, there really is a "Waffle House Index" which FEMA uses to access the severity of national disasters!  It's not the same as the Saffir-Simpson Scale of measuring hurricane intensity, but it does give an indication of damage in some areas.  It's based on the restaurant chain's reputation for staying open despite bad weather or opening as soon as possible following disasters. Here's how it works.  Waffle House restaurants are categorized into three groups following a disaster: Green, Yellow or Red.

Green: The Waffle House is open and serving a full menu. This indicates it has power and minimal damage
Yellow: The Waffle House is serving a limited menu. This indicates it might have low food supplies and either limited power, or running off a generator.
Red: The Waffle House is closed. This indicates severe damage.

According to FEMA, it's rare for the index to hit Red. FEMA Director Craig Fugate says it's not only a great informal indication of how hard and area was hit, but also how fast businesses can rebound from a national disaster. Up to 40% of the businesses in a region hit by disaster never reopen, according to the Insurance Information Institute. 

A survey of Waffle Houses in a region allows FEMA officials to quickly decide where damage is most severe and which areas are hardest hit. It even has it's own hashtag on Twitter! Although it's being used to access damage from Hurricane Sandy, it's not quite as useful this time around, as there are no Waffle Houses in New York and New Jersey.