Susan O'Neil

Susan O’Neill is the Regional Assistance Committee (RAC) Chairperson for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region II Office in New York.   Ms. O’Neill has been with FEMA Region II for over 31 years and was appointed RAC Chair in 2016.  As RAC Chair, Ms. O’Neill is responsible for overseeing the Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program (REPP) in the states of New Jersey and New York and ensuring that reasonable assurance exists to protect the health and safety of the public in the event of an incident at one of the commercial nuclear power plants in her jurisdiction.  Additionally, as RAC Chair, Ms. O’Neill coordinates the response and support that federal agencies with responsibilities under the Regional Assistance Committee provide to state and local partners when warranted.

Ms. O’Neill started her federal career in FEMA in 1988 and began working with the REP Program in 1989.  Although Ms. O’Neill has spent her entire professional career with FEMA Region II, she has amassed a multitude of experience working in various FEMA program areas.  Ms. O’Neill worked in the REP Program from 1989-2001.  Following the 9-11 Terrorist Attacks in 2001, Ms. O’Neill transferred to the Emergency Management Preparedness Grant (EMPG) Program under the Office for Domestic Preparedness, a joint FEMA and Department of Justice (DOJ) grant program.  This later became the Homeland Security Grant Program in the Preparedness Division of FEMA.  In 2011, Ms. O’Neill went to work in the Response Division of FEMA as the Planning and Operations Branch Chief, responsible for overseeing the development of catastrophic plans for New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.  These plans have since been used for real events such as Hurricanes Irene, Sandy and Maria and more recently, the earthquakes in Puerto Rico.  In 2016, Ms. O’Neill was appointed RAC Chair of FEMA Region II.