Comparing several well-known wildfires, Weick argues for a causal connection between firefighter tool retention and fatalities. To Weick, tools are an extension of firefighter identity and to drop one’s tools is to let go of one’s identity. He believes improvisation during high stress situations will increase safety and help firefighters maintain a clear identity, even if they have to leave behind the tools of their trade. Improvisation is the process of reshaping previously thought out plans by creatively applying past experience and knowledge during unanticipated situations. In other words, the best people to sustain a “can do” identity are those that can “make do” by applying what they know to a unique situation. Workers who use improvisation have more alternatives to choose from and have a greater chance of survival in dangerous circumstances than those who hold to rigid rules. Weick argues against checklists of rules guiding firefighter behavior in favor of more general guidelines that promote greater decision making flexibility and provide more opportunities for improvisation.