DAN BAKER

New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control

Daniel J. Baker is Chief of Hazardous Materials for the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Siena College and was a small business owner prior to entering State service with OFPC in 2005. Chief Baker has 31 years of fire service experience, and currently oversees State fire instructors and fire protection specialists who provide hazardous materials training and response support to public safety agencies across New York State.

BOB COSCHIGNANO

HazMat 101 Consultants

Robert B. Coschignano is a nationally recognized expert in hazardous materials response and education, with more than three decades of service in the fire and emergency services.

Retiring as a Hazardous Materials Lieutenant from the City of Orlando Fire Department, Mr. Coschignano spent the majority of his career in Special Operations, overseeing response teams, developing training curricula, and managing large-scale incidents. He served as Program Manager for the Hazardous Materials Technician Program at Valencia College, instructing and mentoring future responders while developing advanced curriculum aligned with national standards. As a certified clandestine lab responder and WMD trainer, he has taught and evaluated students across the U.S., participating in highlevel biological, chemical, and radiological preparedness efforts.

Mr. Coschignano is President of HazMat 101 Consultants, co-host of the HazChat podcast, and Executive Editor of HazMat HQ Digital Magazine. He is a contributing author to several nationally distributed hazmat guides and training resources and has been featured in Fire Engineering and Firehouse magazines. In 2022, he was awarded the prestigious IAFC Level A Instructor of the Year award for his continued contributions to hazardous materials instruction and responder development

RICH GATANIS

Southern Manatee Fire Rescue

Rich Gatanis began his public safety career in 2003 as a Firefighter, EMT, and HazMat Technician with Southern Manatee Fire Rescue (SMFR) in Manatee County, Florida, where he continues to serve today. In 2015, he launched SMFR’s Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) program, developing policies and specialized tools that integrate air monitoring sensors with drones, positioning SMFR as a leader in UAS operations for hazmat and special ops.

Rich’s expertise led him to join a small drone company called flymotion in 2017, where he supported public safety agencies nationwide in building drone programs and creating UAS policies and training frameworks. In 2020, he co-founded the Unmanned Tactical Group (UTG), which provides advanced UAS training for public safety, government, and defense organizations.

In 2021, he helped establish the Florida Public Safety UAS Coordination Group (FLOGRU) under DRONERESPONDERS to enhance collaboration between agencies, industry, and academia. That same year, he also brought his expertise to Brinc Drones and Skydio, contributing to training and consulting efforts focused on tactical drone operations in complex environments.

In 2024, Rich helped form the UAS unit within Manatee County Technical Rescue Team (TRT-644), a deployable state and federal asset for large-scale incidents. He also became President of the Tampa Satellite Chapter of AUVSI, supporting innovation and coordination in unmanned systems across the region.

Throughout his career, Rich has worked closely with public safety leaders and technology partners to push the boundaries of UAS applications in emergency response, with a focus on real-world performance and mission-specific solutions.

RON HUFFMAN

Responder Training

Ronald “Ron” Huffman Ron has instructed students in the art of assessment, approach and technical management of multiple types of incidents for over 35 years. Ron has been a career firefighter (retired with 31 years OTJ) and a volunteer firefighter for 39 years and is currently the Chief of his department. He worked for 14 years in the propane industry servicing and repairing Propane Gas Bulk Plants and Anhydrous Ammonia systems, Bobtail and Bulk Transport Trucks, Industrial Stand-By Systems, and Metering Systems.

He opened his company, “Responder Training” in 1989 to share the knowledge that he was gaining while working in the propane service industry and share it through classroom and hands-on skills with all responders. He and his programs are one of a kind. He has taught his programs at multiple National Level Conferences, for response agencies and propane companies across the United States and internationally. You may have attended a propane course in the past, his program is so much more.

ADAM MCFADDEN

Firehouse Training

Adam is a Hazmat Technician, Shift Training Instructor and Former Recruit Training Officer for Canada’s Largest Fire Service; as well as a member of the Joint Response Hazmat & CBRNE Team for the City of Toronto, Canada. He has also served on the Hazmat Operations Deployment Committee for his fire department. 

Adam is the owner of Firehouse Training, a private-industry fire service training company, developing various programs in the areas of industrial firefighting response tactics, lithium-ion battery fire safety, hazardous materials spill response, terrorism awareness and flammable liquids training. 

Adam has over 20 years of experience in the Hazmat industry, has completed Cargo Tank Hazmat Specialist Training, Hazardous Materials Safety Officer training programs with the Michigan State Police Academy and is a Pro-Board Certified Company Officer from Massachusetts. He was also a participant at the Tracking Terrorism: Countering the Threat Symposium in Durham Region, Canada. 

He has spoken previously at various Hazmat Conferences including the Florida State Hazmat Symposium, in Daytona Beach, New England Hazmat Conference, Continuing Challenge Hazmat Conference in California, and the Ontario Hazmat Responders Association Hazmat Conference, in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. 

Adam has also recently participated as a contributing author on two hazmat related texts; including NERHD Hazmat Drills Vol. II & Building a Hazmat Team Guidebook, presented by The Hazmat Guys Co. 

MARK SICUSO

All Hands Operating Training LLC

Mark is a 23-year veteran of the Fire Service. He is currently Fire Chief for the Electric Boat Fire Department in Groton, CT. He retired in July 2023 as Lieutenant/Acting Captain assigned to Engine 3 and in command of the Norwich Fire Hazmat Operations.

He holds two bachelor’s degrees from the University of New Haven in Fire Science Administration and Arson Investigation and a Masters of Public Administration from the University of New Haven. Mark is a principal member of NFPA 385. Mark is a credentialed Chief Fire Officer from the Center for Public Safety Excellence. He holds his member grade (MIFireE) from Institution of Fire Engineers USA Chapter. Mark is a HazMat Manager/Safety Officer for MATF-1 a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue team.

He is also an alternate on FEMA US&R Incident Support Team as a HazMat Specialist and a FEMA instructor. He also serves on the FEMA US&R Advisory Organization Hazmat Subgroup. He has deployed to numerous federal disasters as a Hazmat Specialist/Manager/IST Member.

He is currently the Co-Chair of the Region 4 (Cerrit) Hazardous Materials response team. He is the co-owner of All Hands Operating Training LLC. Mark is a former adjunct instructor at the Massachusetts Fire & Connecticut Fire Academies. co-owner of All Hands Operating Training. Mark has instructed both nationally and internationally along with holding numerous Fire Service