Natural disasters are an unfortunate yet unavoidable part of life, especially in the United States, where both hurricanes and tornadoes pose a large threat to many regions. While there isn’t much that can be done to prevent these disasters, actions can be taken to minimize impacts. One such way is through what the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) refers to as the Waffle House index.

This index, which has been in use since a tornado ripped through the city of Joplin, Mo. back in 2011, seeks to use Waffle House restaurants as both a gauge of how bad damage is in areas affected by storms, but also as a way of mobilizing support crews for recovery efforts.

As for how this is accomplished, there are two main ways; The index itself has three levels. There’s code green, which means Waffle House restaurants in affected areas are functioning to their fullest capacity, and that damage is ultimately not too bad. Then, there’s code yellow, which may mean certain locations have suffered damage or that operations may be limited, with a limited menu being offered at the time. Lastly, there’s the worst scenario, or code red. In these situations, Waffle House locations are unable to serve customers and damage to the store or surrounding areas is severe, as was the case for this Waffle House store in Biloxi, Ms. following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. These levels let residents of areas affected by storms know just how bad the impacts may be and help crews in assessing the damages they are faced with at a preliminary level.

The other, more important, way Waffle House is able to aid in recovery efforts is through their network of staff members. While employees in areas being hit by bad weather may have to evacuate, they are able to mobilize employees from other locations to those hit hardest, all to allow them to keep cooking up for those who need it most, like the emergency response crews who are working tirelessly to aid these communities. While Waffle House is generally a quick and easy option for a late-night snack, their contributions to making sure the communities they’re based in when they really need it most should never be forgotten.