Everybody loves waffles! (Even the federal government)

Apparently FEMA uses something called "The Waffle House Index" to gauge the severity of a disaster.  It's easy.  You call all the local Waffle Houses and ask them two questions.

1. Are you open?
2. Are you serving a limited menu*?

Map the data with red for closed, yellow for limited menu, and green for open and unlimited.  You are basically collecting data on how hard hit an area is.

True?  I don't know and I don't care.  It is awesome and it makes sense. ** 

http://blog.ushahidi.com/2013/08/13/data-resiliency-and-waffles

*Waffle House has a "gas only" menu for when the power grid drops, they have emergency generators, and they keep bottled water on hand to make coffee if there is an issue with the water supply.

**According to the FEMA blog it is, in fact, true.