Dos and don’ts in an earthquake By Arik Hwldkht Oepon D*/y ImuatC Whether you live on campus or off. it is important to know what to do during and after an earthquake. You wake up from a fairly pleasant dream to hear your windows rattling, water splash ing out of your fish lank and pic tures falling horn your wall. You probably won't be awake enough to get out of bed. But if you are awake, or if it's a daytime earthquake, you should probably find someplace to get under cover until it's over Try and find a desk or some heavy furniture to use as cover. You should also bo prepared to fend for yourself for the next two to three days if you lose power. said Tim Birr, spokesman for the Eugene Pub lie Safety Department. "You should know how much food you have and whether or not you can eat without cooking for a few days," Birr said. "If you wind up in an apartment with no power after a serious quake hits the area, we're not going to get to you unless you have a real emergency." Birr said you should you should keep a steady supply of canned or nonperishable food to live on for a few days, fresh bat teries for a flashlight and a small radio. Birr stressed that you should not call 911 unless you have a serious emergency. "Right after the first quake we had about 75 calls to 911 just reporting that an earthquake happened." he said. "No one called with injuries, but if some one had. they would have had trouble getting through." Birr also said Page EZ2B of the US West phone book lists sug gestions for what to do during and after a major quake. Some of those suggestions include: • Don't use matches, candles, electrical switches or appli ances. in use there is a gas leak Rely on flashlights. • Watch for falling objects when you enter or leave build ings. Don't enter severely dam aged buildings. • Don't go sightseeing, espe cially in a vohicle. There is a danger of live utility wires and falling debris and you may gut in the way of emergency person nel. Be prepared for aftershocks. a>A— ^ <£)"