BONNER COUNTY — With temperatures continuing to drop in the days leading up to Christmas, people can give themselves the gift of peace of mind with a “go bag.”

A “go bag” is an emergency preparedness kit of essential survival supplies. Panhandle Health District encourages all people to have a “go bag” in their home and vehicle.

While each bag is unique to the needs of the individual, a basic list of supplies includes food, water, a first-aid kit, back-up batteries, flashlight, and a whistle to signal for help.

Additional supplies listed on the Ready.gov website include tools such as a wrench, pliers, can opener, duct tape, and personal sanitation supplies. The full list can be viewed on their website.

Winter preparedness supplies require some extra packing. A sleeping bag, extra clothes, jumper cables, candles, matches, tow chains and high-energy foods function as a starting point for those looking to gather essential preparedness items.

“Preparedness is a part of public health,” said Katherine Hoyer, Panhandle Health public information officer.

Hoyer, who has an emergency kit in her home and vehicle, said that having it gives her peace of mind.

“You never know when something might happen,” Hoyer said. “We never have power outages, but we had one this year. … We didn’t think twice about what needed to be done.”

In addition to gathering emergency supplies, a clear plan of action and communication can also aid in staying calm.

Kurt Bucklin credits his life to having a “go bag” when he needed it most.

In April 2013, Bucklin’s truck drove off of a cliff and crash-landed into the Snake River. He spent two days walking through the wilderness until coming across an occupied cabin eight- to ten miles away from the crash site.

“So many people come here and they have that survival mentality, which is great,” Bucklin said.”A lot of people grew up here and have that mentality. But bad things can happen. A lot of people try and grab too much in those first few minutes and it ends up costing them their lives. There’s real value in preparation.”

A full list of supplies and ideas can be found of Ready.gov/kit