First Aid Kit Checklist for Home, Car and Go-Bag

This guide is general information, not medical training. Call 911 in an emergency, and take a hands-on first aid class from the Red Cross or AHA.

A good kit is boring on purpose. It holds what you need for the most common injuries, in amounts that last until you can restock. You can buy a ready-made kit and fill the gaps, or build one from scratch with the list below.

The core kit: Red Cross list for a family of four

The American Red Cross recommends these items and quantities for a family of four. The CDC repeats the same list.

Item	Size	Quantity
Absorbent compress dressings	5 x 9 inches	2
Adhesive bandages	Assorted sizes	25
Adhesive cloth tape	10 yards x 1 inch	1 roll
Antibiotic ointment packets	About 1 gram each	5
Antiseptic wipe packets		5
Aspirin packets	81 mg each	2
Emergency blanket		1
Breathing barrier with one-way valve		1
Instant cold compress		1
Nonlatex gloves	Size large	2 pairs
Hydrocortisone ointment packets	About 1 gram each	2
Gauze roller bandage	3 inches wide	1
Roller bandage	4 inches wide	1
Sterile gauze pads	3 x 3 inches	5
Sterile gauze pads	4 x 4 inches	5
Oral thermometer	Non-mercury, non-glass	1
Triangular bandages		2
Tweezers		1
Emergency first aid instructions		1 booklet

The aspirin is for adults. MedlinePlus says never give a child aspirin unless their doctor tells you to, because it is linked to Reye syndrome.

If your household is bigger, scale up the items you use most: bandages, gauze and gloves.

Printable checklist

• 2 absorbent compress dressings (5 x 9 in)
• 25 adhesive bandages, assorted
• 1 roll adhesive cloth tape (10 yd x 1 in)
• 5 antibiotic ointment packets
• 5 antiseptic wipe packets
• 2 aspirin packets (81 mg)
• 1 emergency blanket
• 1 breathing barrier with one-way valve
• 1 instant cold compress
• 2 pairs nonlatex gloves (large)
• 2 hydrocortisone ointment packets
• 1 gauze roller bandage (3 in)
• 1 roller bandage (4 in)
• 5 sterile gauze pads (3 x 3 in)
• 5 sterile gauze pads (4 x 4 in)
• 1 oral thermometer (non-mercury, non-glass)
• 2 triangular bandages
• 1 pair tweezers
• 1 first aid instruction booklet

Add bleeding-control supplies

The standard list does not stop heavy bleeding from a limb. Stop the Bleed programs, such as Florida’s Department of Health, encourage keeping a bleeding-control kit.

Add a commercial tourniquet from a reputable seller, because fake ones have been sold. Add a felt-tip marker to write down the time it goes on.

• 1 commercial tourniquet (one per kit)
• 1 felt-tip permanent marker
• Extra gauze for packing deep wounds

A tourniquet only helps if you know how to use it. Free Stop the Bleed training is widely available. Our basic first aid skills guide explains the steps, but a hands-on class is the real preparation.

Add your family’s medicines

This is the part of the kit no store can build for you. Ready.gov notes that about half of all Americans take a prescription medicine every day.

Prescription medicines

• Keep an extra supply of each daily prescription if your doctor and pharmacy allow it.
• Keep a written list of each medicine, the dose, and the prescribing doctor.
• Pack spare prescription glasses and contact lens solution.

Over-the-counter medicines

Ready.gov says to include prescription and over-the-counter medicines and vitamins, organized and protected. Pack the ones your family already uses and knows how to dose. Ask a pharmacist if you are unsure what to include for children.

Needs for specific health conditions

The CDC suggests these add-ons for some households:

Condition	Add to the kit
Severe allergies	Antihistamine and an epinephrine auto-injector
Fragile skin	Paper tape
Diabetes	Juice box, glucose tablets or gel, glucagon kit
Coronary artery disease	Chewable baby aspirin, unless allergic to aspirin

Talk to your doctor before you add any medicine for a specific condition.

Medicines after a disaster

The FDA warns that medicines touched by floodwater or unsafe water should be thrown out. This applies even in original containers with screw-top caps or snap lids. High heat from a fire can also ruin medicines.

If the power goes out, check the label or ask a pharmacist whether a refrigerated medicine is still good. The FDA says life-saving medicines like insulin may be used until you can get a new supply. Replace them as soon as possible.

Add personal and household items

The Red Cross says to add personal items and emergency phone numbers. The CDC adds two useful ideas:

• A note listing where other supplies are kept and how to handle known emergencies (for example, a family member’s allergy plan).
• Your home or office address written on the outside of the kit. You can read it out to a 911 dispatcher.

Also consider:

• A list of emergency contacts and doctors
• Copies of insurance cards
• Hand sanitizer and soap
• Small scissors for cutting tape and gauze

Where to keep your kits

Ready.gov recommends preparing kits for home, work and car. Most families need four.

Kit	What it is	Size
Home	The full Red Cross list plus medicines	Box or bin everyone can find
Go-bag	A smaller copy inside your evacuation bag	Zip pouch
Car	The full list, plus a tourniquet	Small bag in the trunk or under a seat
Work	Personal medicines for at least 24 hours	Desk drawer or locker

Keep the home kit in one fixed spot. Make sure every adult and older child knows where it is.

The go-bag kit is part of your evacuation supplies. See our guide to the 10 must-have items for a basic survival kit.

Add-ons for the outdoors

The National Park Service lists first aid supplies as one of its Ten Essentials for every hike. The NPS advice is to start with a pre-made kit and adjust it to your trip and your medical needs.

For hiking and camping, consider adding:

• Your personal medicines
• A short first aid guide for unfamiliar emergencies
• An emergency space blanket
• Extra gauze and tape
• A tourniquet
• Water treatment supplies

If you go far from roads, read first aid when help is far away.

How to store and check your kit

Storage

• Use a sturdy, water-resistant container. Ready.gov suggests airtight plastic bags inside one or two easy-to-carry containers.
• Keep it in a cool, dry place, away from direct sun and heat.
• Keep medicines out of reach of children.

Check every 6 months

The CDC suggests a recurring reminder, such as every six months, to check and restock the kit. Pick two easy dates, like the start of daylight saving time and its end.

At each check:

• Check expiration dates on medicines, ointments and wipes.
• Replace anything used, expired or damaged.
• Make sure gloves are not brittle or torn.
• Check that sterile packs are sealed and dry.
• Update the medicine list and doses.
• Replace batteries if you carry a flashlight or electronic thermometer.

Ready.gov also says to rethink your needs every year. New babies, new health problems and older family members all change what belongs in the kit.

Common mistakes

• Buying a big kit and never opening it to learn what is inside.
• Using up bandages and not replacing them.
• Leaving medicines in a hot car for months.
• Packing a tourniquet but never practicing with it.
• Having only one kit, in a closet you cannot reach during an evacuation.

Sources

• Anatomy of a First Aid Kit — American Red Cross
• Stop the Bleed — Florida Department of Health
• Build a Kit — Ready.gov / FEMA
• Safe Drug Use After a Natural Disaster — U.S. Food and Drug Administration
• The Ten Essentials — National Park Service
• Reye Syndrome — MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine