Why Small Businesses Need an Emergency Operations Plan

Lessons from the Waffle House Playbook

When people hear the term Emergency Operations Plan (EOP), they often assume it’s something reserved for hospitals, governments, or large corporations with entire departments dedicated to preparedness.

In reality, one of the most effective and widely respected emergency operations models belongs to a restaurant chain: Waffle House.

The Waffle House Index: A Real-World Measure of Resilience

Emergency managers frequently reference the “Waffle House Index” after major disasters. It’s an informal but powerful indicator of how severely a community has been impacted.

• Open with full menu: Infrastructure is largely intact

• Open with limited menu: Utilities or supply chains are disrupted

• Closed: Conditions are severe and recovery will take time

The reason this index works isn’t luck—it’s preparation. Waffle House has clear, practiced emergency procedures that allow leaders to make fast decisions, operate safely with limited resources, and reopen quickly when others cannot.

What Small Businesses Can Learn from This Approach

Most small businesses don’t need a 200-page emergency manual. What they do need is a playbook—clear guidance that helps leaders act decisively under stress.

An effective Emergency Operations Plan answers practical questions, such as:

• Who has the authority to make closure or reopening decisions?

• What does “limited operations” actually look like?

• How does the business function if power, internet, or water is unavailable?

• How are employees accounted for and kept safe?

• How and when are customers, vendors, and partners notified?

• What steps are required for a safe and orderly reopening?

Without these answers defined in advance, decisions are delayed, risks increase, and recovery takes longer than it needs to.

Emergency Operations Plans Are About Operating, Not Just Surviving

An EOP is not a binder that sits on a shelf waiting for an inspection. It’s a practical tool designed to help businesses continue operating—even in degraded conditions—while protecting people, property, and reputation.

At NorthPoint Lighthouse Group, we help small businesses develop manager-ready Emergency Operations Plans modeled after proven private-sector practices like those used by Waffle House. Our focus is on clarity, usability, and real-world decision-making—not theory or compliance for compliance’s sake.

Preparedness isn’t about predicting every crisis.It’s about knowing how your business will operate when conditions aren’t ideal.

If your business had to function tomorrow without full staffing, power, or connectivity—would your leadership team know exactly what to do?

That’s the value of an Emergency Operations Plan.