When Disaster Strikes Amarillo FEMA’s First Call Will Be To Waffle House

The last time I went to Waffle House I was attempting to avoid a disastrous hangover by getting some good food in my belly.  When disaster strikes Amarillo, FEMA will be calling on Waffle House too.  Not for food but to assess local damage.

It may seem counter intuitive; FEMA asking Waffle House how bad the damage is but they have a neat way of judging the mess.

FEMA has created the Waffle House Index.  After a disaster, officials call a restaurant in the affected area, and ask what's on the menu. If the restaurant is serving everything, it means there is water and electricity and the index is green. If the menu has been scaled back, the index is yellow, which means there's water but no power.  In the rare event a Waffle House is completely shut down, the index is red and usually means there's big trouble.

After Katrina in 2005 Waffle House revamped the way they do things.  They created a limited menu based on diminished capabilities and now keep supplies near storm ridden areas.

When Amarillo is knocked off the map or is altered in a big way, head to Waffle House.  They'll keep the grill on for you, if at all possible.

For more see this source article.