Measuring a Storm's Fury: The Waffle House Index

"When a hurricane makes landfall, the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency relies on a couple of metrics to assess its destructive power..one of them is the Waffle House Index.  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...Waffle House Inc. has 1,600 restaurants stetching from the mid-Atlantic to Florida and across the Gulf Coast, leaving it particularly vulnerable to hurricanes."

Hose to Measure a Storm's Fury One Breakfast at a Time
by Valerie Bauerlein
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904716604576542460736605364.html