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Waffle House is not the only business whose operations are measured to determine natural disaster impact, and FEMA does not formally use Waffle House closures to assess the scope of disasters. FEMA assesses the impact of natural disasters by measuring their interruption of multiple large national chains and informally references a "Waffle House Index." Waffle House responded to several other disasters this year before Irene hit. After a series of deadly tornadoes tore through Alabama and Georgia in late April, one restaurant was destroyed and another 20 were without power.
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Negotiations between protesters and Columbia University officials about clearing the encampment on its lawn that had been extended for 48 hours have been “unstable," said Esha Karam, managing director of Columbia Daily Spectator, citing student organizers. No protesters or officers have been reported injured, police said. The Los Angeles Police Department said 93 people were arrested on suspicion of trespassing during Wednesday's demonstrations at the University of Southern California. Read on to discover which states have the most Waffle Houses, and see how your home state compares to others across the country.
The Waffle House Index is a real thing. Here's what it means. - WTSP.com
The Waffle House Index is a real thing. Here's what it means..
Posted: Tue, 29 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
How to Measure a Storm’s Fury One Breakfast at a Time
The chain’s locations would normally stay open even in severe conditions to help first responders. The well-known restaurant chain currently has 10 locations closed in the hardest hit areas of Florida, a number that will "fluctuate rapidly" as staff works to re-open and aid community members, Waffle House spokesperson Njeri Boss tells CNBC Make It. Fugate and his crew determined that if you got to the interstate and the Waffle House was up and running, it's most likely not the most impacted area. "Well, my guys slipped in an image about the Waffle House Index," Fugate said. "By now, we had figured out where the Waffle Houses were closed, which had no power or limited menus, and which ones were open. If they weren't closed and had a full menu, you were moving well into recovery operations and it was much more stable."
Here's how the 'Waffle House Index' measures a hurricane's potential impact
In a time of natural disaster, the federal government uses a simple gauge to determine the toll Mother Nature has taken on a local area. Compounding FEMA's public relations challenge is the fact that FEMA only tends to be involved in times of great distress. For Americans to require FEMA's help, whatever happened on the ground must have been quite severe.
As a precaution, the business preemptively closed three store in Idalia's path (Live Oak, Madison, Lake City), Boss said. Matthew Ray Booth, who lives a few miles away, came in at 4 p.m. He said he had spent two days drinking soda and eating canned pork and beans. He ordered bacon, scrambled eggs with cheese, hash browns “scattered, covered and smothered,” and a glass of iced tea. “We didn’t have no air, and no place to cook no food at the house,” said the 69-year-old.
In fact, a measurement tool called the Waffle House Index can be used to analyze a storm’s severity and the effect it can have on communities. Its classifications of green, yellow, and red indicate how severe a storm is based on how well Waffle House can operate during it. The term was coined by former FEMA administrator Craig Fugate following the Joplin tornado in May 2011. The storm, which caused over $2.8 billion in damage and 158 casualties, was not enough to close down either of the Waffle House locations in Joplin. The breakfast chain remained open throughout the storm, with a prepared limited menu that allowed it to serve food even during power outages.
All of this support is important, particularly as businesses strive to open after disasters. This will be the first time the chain restaurant is expanding south of Anaheim. The Columbia University Board of Trustees released a statement Wednesday saying they strongly support President Minouche Shafik, who has faced calls for her resignation amid intense pressure to rein in days-long protests.
The Number of Waffle Houses in Every State
CT, 34 arrests have been made by law enforcement on the UT Austin campus, according to an X post from the Texas Department of Public Safety. The board said it is "urgently working" with Shafik to resolve the unrest on campus and "rebuild the bonds of our community." In an evening update, the Texas Department of Public Safety said that 34 arrests had been made by law enforcement on the campus as of 9 p.m. Graffiti described as “hateful” has been painted on campus, the officials said. Other buildings on the campus in Arcata are at risk of being occupied, and protesters “have shown a willingness” to lock themselves in facilities and steal equipment, the officials said. Student reactions to calls for the college president's resignation have been mixed, Karam said.
It says its strategy is more about marketing and building goodwill than profits. Waffle House, a privately held company based in suburban Atlanta, may be best known as a roadside stop for retirees driving south or the place where musician Kid Rock got into a brawl after a 2007 concert. 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. Yes, the government really does use the Waffle House Index, though not necessarily in an official capacity.
When news that a hurricane impacting the U.S. is imminent, a small team of Waffle House employees is already gearing up preparations at its headquarters just outside Atlanta. Prior to joining Newsweek in 2018, Ramsey was a multimedia reporter at the local NPR and PBS affiliate WUFT News in Gainesville, Florida. While there, he reported for TV, radio and web, primarily focusing on local and state politics.
More natural disasters, including three additional hurricanes that directly hit Florida that year, forced Fugate and his team to travel the state. There was one indicator that came back time and time again that best represented where the worst storm damage was located after a major weather event. "The one thing that was true for almost any disaster was if there was anything open or got open first, it was a Waffle House," Fugate said.
The overhead lights and walk-in freezer weren’t working, but the gas grill was. The cooks boiled water on the grill, then poured it through the coffee machine, over beans ground before the power went out. The district manager, Chris Barnes, handed employees copies of an emergency grill-only menu. The fare included ham-and-egg sandwiches for $3.15 and quarter-pound hamburgers for $2.70.
According to several media reports the index ranges from green, to yellow, to red. Yellow means the restaurants are on a limited menu and lack resources. "They are open most of the time. And that was the index. If a Waffle House is closed because there's a disaster, it's bad. We call it red. If they're open but have a limited menu, that's yellow," he said. "If they're green, we're good, keep going. You haven't found the bad stuff yet." But that "always faithful, always there for you" restaurant chain that Anthony Bourdain admired so much was ready to serve the community.
Yesterday, EHS Today, a magazine for environment, health and safety leaders, explained that major companies such as The Home Depot, Walmart, and Waffle House serve as role models in disaster preparedness. These companies have good risk management plans to ensure that their stores continue to operate when a disaster strikes, and also provide basic supplies to people in their community. An important element is limiting the menu so the company’s supply chain can focus on keeping certain items stocked and chilled or frozen.
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