Patrick O'Brien
Director, environmental Health, Safety & Emergency Management
Patrick O’Brien oversees the Office of Environmental Health, Safety, and Emergency Management at SUNY Potsdam and recently became the college’s Director for the Center for Community Preparedness. With a B.S. in Emergency & Disaster Management from SUNY Canton and a Master’s in Public Administration focused on emergency management from American Military University, he has more than 30 years of experience in the fields of emergency response and management. He has served as Emergency Manager for the Town and Village of Massena, Fire Chief for the Massena Fire Department, and currently serves as the Chief of the St. Lawrence County Hazardous Materials Response Team. Additionally, he chairs the St. Lawrence County Local Emergency Planning Committee. Through his work on the local, county, and state levels, he brings experience coordinating multi‑agency responses and mass gatherings. His career spans local, county, and higher‑education emergency management, bridging agencies and jurisdictions.