This odd indicator used by FEMA could predict how well South Carolina recovers from Hurricane Florence

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) uses the Waffle House Index as a metric of how well a community will recover after a storm.

"This is what FEMA uses to determine how quickly an area will recover from a natural disaster," CNN's Brook Baldwin said on Wednesday's show. "[The Waffle House] is a southern staple. Check out the color-coded index. The store is open and offering a full menu, that's green. Opened and serving a limited menu, that's yellow. Red means it's closed."

Pat Warner, director of public relations at the Waffle House chatted with Baldwin about how pivotal the index is. Warner said the index was created in 2004, and because people rely on the Waffle House throughout the year, they expect it to be opened after a storm.

"People come throughout the years after football games, after driving in the middle of the night to getting up early in the morning. So people rely on us being there all the time," he said.

Warner said the restaurants along the Carolina coast impacted by Hurricane Florence are gathering resources, so they can open as soon as the storm is finished.

"We have to be there quickly with the generators, the food, and fuel to get the restaurants opened as quickly as possible. We have 250 restaurants, and we are monitoring resources so they can roll in right after the storm. It's a big undertaking," he said.

Watch the clip below via CNN.