Fire Marshal

Fire Marshal Justin Zang graduated from West Texas A&M University in 1988 BGS Criminal Justice/Sociology. He graduated from the Heart of Texas Police Academy and the Temple Fire Department Fire Academy conjointly in 1994. Zang holds a Master Peace Officer License and is a state certified arson and fire investigator.

Responsibilities

As Woodway Fire Marshal, his primary responsibility is to examine fire scenes. He also conducts fire and safety inspections required by the State of Texas for area business facilities, home daycare facilities, and foster care homes. In addition, Zang assists with the coordination of fire training for Woodway and local departments. He also trains Woodway and local officers in rapid response to an active shooter or homicide in progress. He serves as a hostage negotiator and liaison for other public safety departments in the area as well.

Fire Marshal Zang handles the purchase of all fire equipment and carries out necessary state law requirements for pump testing and Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) inspections for the City of Woodway. He was instrumental in raising the City’s ISO rating two points by initiating a reevaluation of the Communications, Fire, and Water Departments. The ISO rating may play a part in lowering homeowner insurance premiums.

Volunteer Opportunities at the Fire Station

Volunteering in your community gives you the power to create the kind of community you want to live in. The Public Safety Department is currently recruiting volunteers to participate in a firefighter academy. Volunteers become certified to assist paid public safety officers, who are cross-trained as police and firefighters, in the field by completing courses from CPR to rescue training.

For more information, please email Assistant Director Larry Adams, email Fire Marshal Justin Zang, or call 254-772-4470. To fill out a volunteer application, please view the Volunteer Firefighter Application (PDF).

Volunteer Opportunities in Other Areas

If you would like to volunteer for other aspects within the department, please view the Volunteer Recruitment Form.

Training

All Public Safety Officers and Volunteer Firefighters meet for monthly drills to practice fire fighting and rescue skills. During 2012, the department conducted 13 fire and rescue drills.

Disaster Drills

Each year, the employees of the City of Woodway, the Public Safety Department, and the Volunteer Fire Department participate in a mock disaster drill. In the past, disaster drills have covered flooding to a multiple injury accident at the Midway Middle School.

The ultimate purpose of the Annual Disaster Drill is to provide practice opportunities to strengthen and enhance the departments’ police, fire, ambulance, and communications skills and to prepare and ready each member’s ability to adapt to ever-changing conditions, should an actual emergency situation arise.

Training Grounds & History

The Training Grounds allow all Public Safety personnel an excellent opportunity to learn, maintain and enhance their skills in police and fire techniques.

In 1997, the land was purchased on the far west end of Woodway to be used as a training ground for officers, firefighters, and the special response team (SRT). The project began in 1998 where a building, a fence, and several hydrants and burn areas were constructed. A pistol range and obstacle course followed in 1999. In 2001, a new smoke/search house was constructed to allow first-hand training in search and rescue techniques.

Since 2001, a state of the art target shooting system was incorporated, black asphalt laid, and a floodlighting system installed for night training. In 2003, the City asphalted the entire pistol range and erected an awning above the impact area. In the smokehouse, wall partitions were built to simulate rooms which created a more realistic environment for police and firefighters during training.

In 2006, the obstacle course was redone to include new 2 feet, 4 feet, and 6 feet. walls and a new dirt surface. Additional improvements were made to the interior of the training smokehouse and a large concrete slab was poured as a base for vehicle extrication training. Also, several new steel targets were welded and a new large barricade was built for the range. Cinder block borders were built for the range and rock ground cover was placed on each side of the shooting line. A new weapon cleaning station was added and stocked for the range house.