About Hazmat 101 Consultants
Built by fire service professionals, Hazmat 101 delivers real-world training rooted in operational experience—not classroom theory.
Our instructors bring decades of field experience, leadership, and instruction at the technician, company, and command levels.
We’ve been in your position—making decisions in real time, with real consequences. That’s why our training is built for the street.
Meet Your Instructors
Bob Coschignano
President
30+ Years Fire Service | Special Operations | Program Leadership
Bob Coschignano brings over 30 years of fire service experience, with a career focused on hazardous materials and Special Operations. A retired Hazardous Materials Team Lieutenant and former Program Manager for the Hazardous Materials Technician Program at Valencia College, he has trained responders nationwide and served on multiple state and local hazmat committees.
Bob is a co-author of industry reference materials, a contributor to national training initiatives, and co-host of The HazMat Guys Roundtable. He is also a 2022 recipient of the IAFC Hazardous Materials Level A Award for Instruction.
Derek Schaumann
Lead Instructor
District Chief | HazMat Specialist | 26+ Years Fire Service
Derek Schaumann brings over 26 years of fire service experience, with most of his career focused on hazardous materials response and Special Operations. He currently serves as a District Chief with the Orlando Fire Department and has been an active member of a Hazardous Materials Team for the majority of his career.
As a lead instructor with Hazmat 101 Consultants and former Program Manager at Valencia College, Derek specializes in delivering practical, decision-focused training. His background also includes work supporting federal response operations and DEA certification in clandestine laboratory response.
Our History
June 26, 2018 – Our Company Was Founded
Recognizing a need for “connecting the dots,” Hazmat 101 Consultants was created to improve the safety and effectiveness of responders on hazardous materials incidents. From the beginning, our focus has been on practical, real-world training that bridges the gap between classroom theory and on-scene decision-making.
That same focus continues today—delivering training built by responders, for responders.
June 11, 2023 – A Proud Milestone
Five years later, we were honored to be selected as the closing presenters for the 2023 IAFC Hazardous Materials Conference—an opportunity that reflected the growth of our program and the trust placed in us by the HazMat community.
2026 – Movers & Shakers Award
Hazmat 101 Consultants was recognized with the Movers & Shakers Award by the Florida Hazardous Materials Symposium, highlighting our ongoing impact, innovation, and commitment to advancing hazardous materials training and education.
Today, we continue to deliver hands-on instruction, consulting, and resources designed by responders, for responders—always focused on making teams safer, more confident, and better prepared.
Why departments choose
Hazmat 101 Consultants
- Real-world, scenario-based training
- Delivered by active and experienced fire service professionals
- Focused on decision-making, not just certification
- Proven at the technician, company, and command levels