MAA Breakwater

Project Name: MAA Breakwater

Location: 5432 West Tyson Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33611

Project Type: Apartment Community

Synopsis: During the middle of the night, M4A Breakwater received a fire pump run and waterflow alarm. The fire department was dispatched and upon arrival observed that the fire pump controller was on fire. This condition required an immediate emergency response. Due to the building’s occupied status, life safety was the highest priority. Rent Fire Pumps was immediately contacted and mobilized to provide temporary fire protection and restore fire suppression system reliability.

Details: Located in Tampa, Florida, M4A Breakwater is a newly developed, large-scale apartment community offering luxury residential living. The property consists of multiple occupied residential buildings with common areas, amenities, and continuous resident and visitor activity throughout the day and night. Due to the occupied nature of the complex, maintaining uninterrupted and fully functional fire protection systems is critical to ensuring the safety of residents, guests, and emergency responders. As residents have already moved into the development, the life safety risk profile is elevated compared to an unoccupied or construction-only site. Constant foot traffic, active residential use, and shared egress pathways require that fire detection, alarm, and suppression systems remain fully operational at all times. With the holiday season approaching and increased occupancy and visitor presence anticipated, proactive fire protection measures were prioritized to reduce risk and maintain compliance with applicable fire codes and Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) requirements. Given these conditions, immediate action was taken to ensure fire protection coverage remained intact. Temporary measures were implemented as necessary to maintain system functionality, protect occupants, and minimize any potential exposure to life safety hazards. These efforts were undertaken to support resident safety, preserve property assets, and ensure continued compliance while permanent corrective actions were addressed.

Solution: With the fire pump down and out of commission, a mobile temporary fire pump was required to maintain fire protection coverage. Given the complexity of the situation, multiple coordinating parties, and the holiday period quickly approaching, Rent Fire Pumps was engaged to provide technical expertise and streamline the solution. Time was of the essence, and a rapid response was critical to maintaining life safety and system compliance. Rent Fire Pumps mobilized a mobile trailer-mounted fire pump capable of meeting the full demand of the fire protection system. Installation, connection, and system verification were completed efficiently to restore fire protection functionality. Within 24 hours, the fire protection system was returned to normal operating conditions through temporary means while a permanent repair solution was developed. This swift and coordinated response ensured continued life safety protection for residents and staff and allowed all involved parties to return home safely to their families for the holidays.

Temporary Fire Pump System Specifications

• Diesel-driven fire pump rated at 1,000 GPM at 160 PSI
• • Fire pump controller (FP) – 110 VAC
• • Electric jockey pump with dedicated jockey pump (JP) controller
• • Integrated test header for flow testing and system verification
• • Fire pump discharge piping with isolation provisions
• • Adjustable pressure relief valve, field-set to meet required system pressure
• • Diesel day tank complete with low fuel level alarm
• • Engine supervision and alarm signals including:
•   – Low fuel alarm
•   – Engine trouble
•   – HOA (Hand-Off-Auto) status
•   – Normally Open (N.O.) butterfly valve (BFV) supervisory signal
•   – Pump run indication
•   – Engine trouble alarm output