ICYMI, an unexpected snow and ice story left hundreds of people stranded on I-95 in Virginia this week…some for more than 24 hours.

The NY Post has some tips from the Red Cross on what to do if you get stranded:

Grab your emergency kit, if you’ve got one  Everyone should have one in our neck of the woods and it should have blankets, flashlights, non-perishable food and water.

Stay in your car  Unless help or a shelter is visible within 100 yards, you should stay put. Once you leave your vehicle it’s easy to get disoriented and then you’ll be in trouble.

Don’t run the heater more than 10 minutes per hour  It should keep you warm enough to survive but also save your gas.  Make sure your exhaust pipe doesn’t get blocked by snow or you could end up with a carbon monoxide issue.

Huddle together to stay warm  That is, if you have passengers…and cover up with whatever you can if you don’t have blankets.

Make sure someone knows you’re in trouble  If you’re in a remote area by yourself, try to call for help.  If that’s not possible, tie a colorful piece of fabric to your antenna, or hang it out your window to let people know you’re in distress.

Be safe out there!