11 locations in mandatory evacuation zones in Florida closed ahead of Hurricane Ian.
Before, during and after a natural disaster, like Hurricane Ian, the agency looks to private-sector partners like Waffle House to determine how businesses are faring in the impacted areas. If Waffle House restaurants are forced to suspend operations in a disaster zone, that's a good sign that the community could require more robust disaster relief services.Former FEMA administrator Craig Fugate said the term came about during Hurricane Charley in 2004.
How a business like Waffle House, which boasts its own storm center that it activates when necessary, plans for a natural disaster is not that different from how a government agency would plan for the same event. While Waffle House might be the agency's most well-known partner, FEMA said in 2017 that it has similar relationships with a variety of other private-sector partners like Target, Walmart, Wegmans, Macy's, Walgreens, Lowes and Safeway.