The New York State Office of Emergency Management is doing their best to keep communities safe during Sunday's major snowstorm. Director Pete Cichetti says search and rescue teams will be stationed across Long Island.

“The main message here is we want people to stay off the roads. Do not drive,” Cichetti said. “Visibility will be really reduced. It'll be whiteout blizzard conditions.”

Cichetti says heavy snow and strong winds mean he’s expecting power outages across the island. He’s encouraging people to stock up on food and water in their homes and to have an emergency plan. If drivers need to be on the road for any reason, he recommends an emergency bag in the car with food, water, warm blankets, chargers, and flashlights.

Once the storm ends, cleanup will begin.

Firefighters are also urging people to clear out fire hydrants so their trucks can respond quickly to any emergencies.

“We're literally using shovels and axes to try to get a hydrant clear at the time when it’s needed most,” said East Meadow Fire Commissioner John Priest.

Fire safety experts ask residents to remove any snow and ice from the top of the hydrant and clear a three-foot circle around the hydrant and a path to the street.

“We've experienced, on numerous occasions, hydrants that we were not able to see because they were covered in snow,” said East Meadow Assistant Fire Chief Kurt Becker. “We had to clear them and take that extra couple minutes.”

Fire officials say fires can double in size every 20 to 30 seconds. Taking a few minutes to shovel out a hydrant could be the difference between life and death.

“The house that you may be saving may very well be your own,” Priest said.