"America The Beautiful"

While folks on the East Coast are still reeling from the havoc unleashed by Hurricane Irene, Tropical Storm Lee is adding to their misery by dumping a couple of feet of rain on New Orleans as it trudges north.

How does FEMA measure the potential dangers of these massive storms? There are several methods….including the status of your local Waffle House.

When a hurricane makes landfall, the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency relies on a couple of metrics to assess its destructive power.
First, there is the well-known Saffir-Simpson Wind Scale. Then there is what he calls the “Waffle House Index.”

Waffle House, reliable beyond the ordinary.

After Hurricane, Waffle House to the Rescue
Last weekend, Waffle House restaurants in hurricane-struck communities in North Carolina rushed to reopen. The company has built a reputation as a place where, even under rough conditions, you can still get a hot meal. Valerie Bauerlein reports.

from Wall Street Journal via Dangerous Minds