Sharonville Fire Department Station 86 (map)
11637 Chester Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45246

Topic: Recommended Fire Protection for Distilleries and Application of DISCUS Standards
In 1973, three organizations – The Bourbon Institute, The Distilled Spirits Institute, and the Licensed Beverage Industries, Inc. merged to form the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS). DISCUS is a national trade organization representing the interests of leading producers of distilled spirits in the United States. Under the auspice of DISCUS, a voluntary guide, Recommended Fire Protection Practices for Distilled Spirits Beverage Facilities is periodically produced. While it is not intended to be a code or standard for regulatory purposes, it is has been a common reference for fire and explosion protection strategies by property insurance risk professionals, architects, engineers and other consultants. The Fourth Edition was published in 2020. We will review this recommended fire protection guide and its applicability to bourbon & whiskey distilleries from grain handling to distillation, barreling, bottling, spent grain drying, storage and warehousing.

Speaker: Daniel R. Linsley, P.E., Vice President, Senior Property Risk Control Consultant at Willis Towers Watson (WTW). Dan has over 35 years’ experience in the property loss control field providing guidance to a wide range of clients on fire, life, and explosion safety and other property protection and property insurance matters, including project support for new construction and new fire system installations. Several of Dan’s clients operate bourbon and whiskey distilleries in Kentucky and Tennessee including Buffalo Trace Distillery, Barton 1792 Distillery, Bulleit Distilling Company, Stitzel-Weller, Cascade Hollow Distilling Company (aka George Dickel), and several others in the US and Canada. Prior to joining WTW in 2013, Dan owned his consulting business; worked for a Atlanta-based Fire Protection Engineering Firm and for property insurance companies including Industrial Risk Insurers (IRI) and Allianz. Dan obtained his PE in fire protection while working in the state of Georgia. He is also a Certified Fire Protection Specialist and a member of NFPA. Currently, Dan and his wife of 34 years reside in Franklin, TN with two working-type German Shepherd Dogs and a Golden Retriever.

Lunch: 11:30 am
Discussion: Noon - 1:00 pm

Presentation Link: 2022-09-28 Discus Standards