Penciling?

Anyone practice penciling? I don't see the point, but I'm stoopid, so I figured I would get other people's opinions. If you think it has a place, please be specific.

Until recently, I never heard of it, but apparently it is used alot in Europe, and it is a tactic where you briefly blast rollover on the ceilings with a STRAIGHT stream to disrupt the thermal layer just enough to keep the flames from attaching to the ceiling - and you do this on your way to the seat of the fire. *IF* I'm understanding it correctly. I saw a video of it, but can't find one on the Internet to share with you guys.

The commonly held opinion here seems to be that there is no point to penciling, and it's better to not waste time getting to the seat of the fire.

Note: blasting rollover with a fog pattern can get someone killed, so don't do it.

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Permalink Reply by Paul Young on March 25, 2009 at 3:16pm

May I add to this discussion? I suggest you check out Dodson's The Art of Reading Smoke. One of the best classes I have been to in my short 24 years. Penciling also goes back to the worthless act of preventing water damage. Please. In today's fires the smoke is cranking out about 1500 - 2000 degrees. You don't pencil. You paint the SOB .....ceiling and walls. One way to tell if you are making any headway is look at your mask......nice and clean, nothing on it.....you aren't there yet. The fire is eating the water. When your mask begins to fog up...you are making a difference. The stuff we were taught back in the 70's and 80's has changed because the contents and the structures have changed. If anyone says that it hasn't, run.