O'Neil has extensive experience in emergency services, most recently serving as Chief Engineer and Emergency Management Director for the city of Burlington's Fire Department.  In all he served 30 years in the fire service – 25 in Burlington and five as Chief of the South Burlington department.

"Mike's experience heading up emergency services in Burlington has prepared him for any emergency that could adversely impact the lives of Vermonters," said Governor Shumlin. He said O'Neil is experienced handling not only fire and emergency situations, but hazardous waste spills, natural disaster response and other dangerous situations.

"Mike has been proactive in reaching out to diverse groups on emergency preparedness, and understands that clear communication between responders and citizens is vital in crisis situations," Shumlin said. "I have the utmost confidence in Mike's ability to lead the state's response to emergency situations, and I support his approach to community-based partnerships, outreach and planning."

Vermont Emergency Management is charged with planning for and handling all hazards impacting Vermont. In addition, the department works with communities on prevention efforts to reduce the likelihood of a crisis and increase readiness for emergencies. A key role of the department is to coordinate communication between federal and state agencies in assisting local governments when disaster strikes.

 He also serves as an instructor in fire investigation, incident management, emergency response to terrorism, and more. He serves as the Team Commander for Region 1 DMORT. O'Neil was deployed to assist in the aftermath of the terror attacks in New York City, The Rhode Island Night Club Fire, Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Gustav and the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti earlier this year.

"Chief O'Neil brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this position that will serve the people of this state well," said Keith Flynn, who has been appointed Commissioner of Public Safety. "He has the academic knowledge and the 'on the ground' experience that will allow him to lead Vermont Emergency Management forward to the next generation of response preparedness."