Michael Karl McNeil, a Former Fire Battalion Chief who rose from volunteer firefighter to fire prevention command with a federal fire agency, applies a quarter century of incident command, fire prevention and hazardous materials response to industrial hygiene, Cal/OSHA citation defense and forensic expert consulting.
SAN GABRIEL, Calif., Oct. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Michael Karl McNeil, principal of McNeil Safety Consulting, spent 25 years in the fire service, advancing from volunteer firefighter and reserve fire inspector to Fire Prevention Captain and, ultimately, Fire Battalion Chief, Prevention, with a federal fire agency. Today he brings that command experience to environmental health and safety, industrial hygiene, Cal/OSHA citation defense and forensic expert consulting for employers and attorneys across the United States.
McNeil's service began in 1989 as a fire cadet. Through the 1990s and early 2000s he served as a volunteer firefighter, crew leader and company training officer, was selected as a Reserve Fire Inspector in 1995, and worked in fire prevention researching inspections and fire plan checks. A Fire Captain with a county fire department wrote in 2002 that McNeil had "demonstrated exemplary leadership skills" and noted that he "always exercises safe work practices around the fire station and on the fire ground." A city fire chief recommended him in 1997 after he "participated in inspections and tests of various fire prevention equipment."
On wildland and all-hazard incidents, McNeil held incident command and operations positions including Incident Commander Type 4, Initial Attack Incident Commander, and Dozer Boss and Line Scout, on assignments across the United States, most of them in the Western states. On a 2007 incident he was rated Superior, the highest mark on the form, on both hot line and mop-up by a federal fire Incident Commander Type 3. His fire credentials include California State Fire Marshal and National Wildfire Coordinating Group qualifications, and he completed federal law enforcement training at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC).
McNeil also trained and served in hazardous materials and emergency medical roles: Hazardous Materials Manager, HAZMAT Specialist and Incident Commander, EMT-II (California) and Certified Tactical Medic. As an American Red Cross instructor, his chapter's Director of Health and Safety wrote that his "students find him quite competent."
"The fire service teaches you to read a hazard before it becomes an incident," said McNeil. "That is the same discipline I bring to a jobsite, a warehouse or an expert report. Employers and attorneys get someone who has stood on the fire ground and in command, not only someone who has read the standard."
Since founding McNeil Safety Consulting, McNeil has applied that background to industrial hygiene exposure assessments, emergency action and fire prevention planning, hazardous materials programs, battery energy storage system safety, Cal/OSHA citation defense, and expert witness work. He holds the Registered Environmental Professional (REP), Registered Industrial Hygienist (RIH) and Emergency Planning Professional (EPP) designations and is a Qualified SWPPP Developer (QSD). He has also completed POST- and ABMDI-approved training in environmental death investigation.
McNeil is a member of the National Association of Fire Investigators, the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the American Industrial Hygiene Association and the International Society of Safety Professionals, where he holds Level 5, Distinguished Safety Professional.
His fire service record, reference letters and incident performance ratings are published at firefightermichaelkarlmcneil.blog and michaelkarlmcneilfirefighter.blog.
About McNeil Safety Consulting
McNeil Safety Consulting provides environmental health and safety, industrial hygiene, Cal/OSHA citation defense and forensic and expert consulting to construction, manufacturing, healthcare, film and television, and energy clients. The firm is based at 9163 Arcadia Ave, San Gabriel, CA 91775. To request a consultation, call (626) 546-9384, email [email protected] or visit www.mcneilsafetyconsulting.com.
Media Contact
Michael Karl McNeil, McNeil Safety Consulting, 1 6265469384, [email protected], McNeil Safety Consulting
SOURCE McNeil Safety Consulting
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