Modernizing Cold Chain Protection for a High-Throughput Regional Logistics Hub Advanced Fire Protection for Florida Freezer’s North Fort Myers Cold Storage Facility
Florida Freezer sought to modernize and enhance fire protection within its North Fort Myers cold storage facility to support high-volume refrigerated and frozen logistics operations while maintaining uninterrupted service to customers.
With approximately 1.6 million cubic feet of temperature-controlled storage operating across freezer, refrigerated and ambient zones, the facility required a fire sprinkler solution capable of performing reliably in extreme cold conditions — all while installation work was completed within an active, operating freezer environment.
The objective was to upgrade aging systems, improve detection reliability and ensure compliance with modern life safety standards without disrupting daily distribution and storage operations.
Value Delivered
North American Fire Protection executed a complex retrofit and system modernization designed specifically for live cold storage operations.
Our team delivered:
By safely working within a fully functioning cold storage facility, NAFPCO minimized downtime, preserved customer supply chains and delivered a resilient fire protection system built for long-term reliability.
Scope of Services
North American Fire Protection provided complete retrofit and fire protection system upgrades, including:
All systems were engineered to meet NFPA standards and cold storage performance requirements, as detailed in NAFPCO’s project proposal .
Background on Building Owner
Florida Freezer is a family-owned third-party logistics (3PL) provider with over 50 years of experience serving Southwest Florida’s cold chain distribution market. Operating multiple refrigerated warehousing facilities across Florida, the company specializes in frozen, refrigerated and ambient storage, cross-docking, rail transloading, e-commerce fulfillment and regional distribution.
The North Fort Myers facility serves as one of Florida Freezer’s core logistics hubs, strategically located off Interstate 75 with rail access supporting efficient truck and intermodal freight movement. The site plays a critical role in moving food products from harvest to market across Florida and beyond.
With planned future expansions adding millions of cubic feet of additional freezer capacity, Florida Freezer continues to invest in infrastructure that strengthens regional food supply resilience.
Project Impact at a Glance
1.6 million cubic feet of temperature-controlled storage protected
Live freezer retrofit with zero operational shutdown
Advanced linear heat detection for rapid fire response
Preaction systems engineered for extreme cold
Modernized fire protection infrastructure supporting future growth
Dry pendent sprinklers are typically installed in food process plants and box-in-box freezers where temperatures are below 40 degrees F.
Dry pipe sprinkler systems are generally used in cold climates and are highly effective in cold-temperature fire protection.
Early Suppression Fast Response (ESFR) systems are quick-responding, high-volume sprinkler systems that provide exceptional protection for high-piled storage occupancies.
Fire pumps are an essential part of many water-based fire protection systems. Fire Pumps are used to increase the water pressure (measured in psi) when the original water source is not adequate for the system it’s supplying.
Fire pumps are an essential part of many water-based fire protection systems. Fire Pumps are used to increase the water pressure (measured in psi) when the original water source is not adequate for the system it’s supplying.
Pre-action fire sprinkler systems employ the basic concept of a dry pipe system in that water is not normally contained within the pipes.
Wet pipe systems are the most common fire sprinkler systems. A wet pipe system is one in which water is constantly maintained within the sprinkler piping.
A special hazards fire suppression system is used to put out fires in areas where water damage from fire sprinklers can cause costly or irreparable damage to the assets being protected.
Linear Heat Detection (LHD) is an important component of fire protection systems, as it is designed to detect heat along the length of a sensor cable.
