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BY CHRISTINE BRANDT WllT Reporter Ken Freihurger is a man who likes to practice what he preaches. As Walkerton's fire chief. Freihurger spends a lot of time educating others on how to prevent fires in their homes. He's now taking his own message to heart. and installing a residential sprinkler system in his new home. “I’ve done a lot of research over the last cou- ple of years. and of all the municipalities that have implemented home sprinkler systems, sta- tistics Show there has not been a (fireâ€"related) fatality as of yet." said Freiburger. “Buildings can be replaced. lives cannot be.” Freiburger's new home is going up on Sideroad 15. just east of Walkerton. Before his family moves in sometime this fall. the house will be fully equipped with an auto- matic sprinkler system. the type previously used only in places such as schools and wareâ€" houses. “My background as a municipal fire chief gives me the extra incentive to do this.” he said. noting that the system is affordable. and will make him eligible for an insurance reduction. "This is something new to this area. and rela- tively new to the province of Ontario. and it‘s especially significant to be doing it in a rural setting." Freiburger's sprinkler system. which is sold under the name AquaSafe and made by Wirsbo. is being installed by Upouor Canada. Inc. a company based in Regina, Saskatchewan with a sales office in Brampton. Employee Kevin Price said the cost to install a. sprinkler system in a residence depends on a number of factors. but ultimately gives its occupants peace of mind. “The cost is dependent on the structure. the contractors. and the area we're in.” said Price. noting that Uponor installs its sys» tems from coast to coast. “They're becoming more and more popular. as people are more mterested now in well-built homes and interested in life safety meas- ures." According to Price. it's taken time for homeowners in Ontario to adjust their way of think- ing when it comes to home safety. The trend of “safe- ty first" is picking up momentum. he said. "People are saying I'd rather spend i $4.000 on a sprinklur sys- tem than a hot tub. That shift in mentality has been slim m coming thut it‘s getting thvrrifi hv said. Freiburger's sprinkh-r systuu is a multipurpose systemt said l)l"l('t‘ It not only fulfills tlll' lirt' prI-u-ntiuit requiromvnts of :t sprinkIt-r ~_\s~ torn, but also 'JrIHldPK ])v|t;tllli' water to tho hmnv-‘s sinks. shoter and bathtubs. “We h-Pd t‘itt'l‘t sprinklvr hrml from four plows ni‘ huiHni‘h [uh- ing. which is wry flexible and min} to install." said l)l'lt'|'. “Every time you turn iuur [up on. water is running through lllt' tubing. so you don't ri-tiuirt- hark- l'lnw [)rthI-trtiun hi-t'uust- _\iiu’|| lll'\l‘l' haw stagnant \mirr' l',lll|)ltl_\l't'\ nl llt‘l'tl and \t imith new at thv lilllltllllfl sitc- lust uwix lll lllfilftll [hr spriiiklrr livmls and lllltll’ll’t’fl> nl' 1'th ut'irimti- tutv ing l‘i'irt- said it' :1 [in \U‘I'I‘ In hri-iilt Hlll lit ihr Ilium spntiislni‘ llcttds unuhl hv .tt'll\.‘tll‘(l (with in lllt‘ I‘nuni» \‘llt'l't' llll' l'iri- nut “People are saying I ’11 rather spend $4,000 on a sprinkler system than a hot tub. That Shift in mentality has been slow in coming. ” â€" Kevin Price, Uponor Canada Inc. Prlt'l‘ hurtling. sitt- ing Ihi- rth ul' tlli' lit)tl\t‘ I't'iitii putt-tilirii \\Jtll'l' (lfllllilfgt‘ “lllli' lit-itllsi tit‘i- {t|'|i\:t|l“l h_\ hmi. thm \\lll Ill-n l|.|("rzr ill lirii-I tli'flrl'ti~ l‘illll'r’ltlln‘il. \thii'h uII-iith from the [llili llll' lirv \liti‘lN Ill") ll Ills- thurui- Ill uhnttt it inimith soul At't‘urding tn prtn'int-izil stittiwtirs. llll' watt-r damagi- that rnstiits When a rvsidt-ntinl sprinkler sis- ll‘lll dousi-s It lirt- is about $3.2m) When it l'irt' Lll‘lJilrlf‘llt'nl lilrllx its hnsn-s (iii .1 huuw lire. llll' itdttvr dmnngtx moratng uhuut Sit-TAMI) Bl‘l'flust' E-ri'ihttrgt-r's houst- is Ill 21 rural ill‘t'ét. his sprinkli-r N)\lt‘tll will draw its \i'ttlvi‘ from it holding tank, that is in turn mum-rind tn :1 f‘lSLt‘l’l’l ln ll‘l'lliltl (trt‘ilh. the systt'rn I‘nllld lll' t‘tll'lnl'l'l-l'rl tn fl humer municipal walt‘r lint', Anyono looking fur mun- iiil‘orninv [ion on ll'll' sprinkle-r systt-ms can log on to wwwupnnurmm