More Than 1,000 Calls For Help In Suffolk Sunday Morning Into Monday Afternoon: FRES Commissioner

YAPHANK, NY — Suffolk first responders logged in over 1,000 calls for help Sunday into Monday, the county's Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Services' commissioner, Rudy Sunderman, told Patch.

The calls were compiled from before the first snowflake dropped at 11 a.m. on Sunday until 2 p.m. on Monday at the county's Emergency Operations Center in Yaphank, which coordinates emergency response during large-scale events like the storm.

Police responded to 179 vehicle crashes, with 42 requiring emergency medical services or fire to respond.

There were 469 emergency medical services calls, and 360 fire calls.

No one perished in any of those incidents throughout the storm, Sunderman said.

"This is the worst we've seen in quite some time," Sunderman said.

It's not entirely over, either, as cleanup crews continue their work.

But residents can still stay safe, Sunderman says.

He offered tips such as best shoveling practices, like dressing appropriately, taking frequent breaks, and calling 911, if they're not feeling well.

Fire hydrants should also be dug out on residential streets and business sectors, so that first responders can access them.

He also reminded residents to shut off the snowblower before they do any work, or repairs on it.

"They should stay off the roads to allow the public work employees to continue to open up the roads and get them as clear as possible," he said. "So the more residents stay off the roads, it's going to give us an opportunity to continue to clear these roads and get them open as soon as possible."