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 1. Home




MUST-HAVES FOR YOUR FIRST-AID KIT

Posted on May 13, 2021 by Blog Administrator

First-aid kits are nothing new. They go back over 100 years to when, as the
story goes, Robert Wood Johnson debuted the first-aid cabinet in 1888.(1)

First-aid kits have changed over the years, but they are as useful as ever. They
make it possible for ordinary people to be the help until professional help
arrives. You don’t need a special certification to provide first aid, but you do
need the right supplies and education.


FIRST-AID KIT CHECKLIST

Kate Elkins is an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and 911 specialist in the
Office of EMS and the National 911 Program. An active paramedic, Elkins also
responds to 911 calls and serves as a medical specialist with Maryland Task
Force 1, a FEMA urban search and rescue team.

First-hand experience has shown her how important having a well-stocked and
maintained first-aid kit can be. “There are certain things you need to have at
hand in the moment. In a crisis, you’re not going to have time to go to the
store to get what you need,” Elkins points out.

The American Red Cross suggests that a first-aid kit for a family of four
include the following items:

 * A first-aid guide
 * 2 absorbent compress dressings (5 x 9 inches)
 * 25 adhesive bandages (assorted sizes)
 * 1 adhesive cloth tape (10 yards x 1 inch)
 * 5 antibiotic ointment packets
 * 5 antiseptic wipe packets
 * 2 packets of aspirin (81 mg each)
 * 1 emergency blanket
 * 1 breathing barrier (with one-way valve)
 * 1 instant cold compress
 * 2 pair of nonlatex gloves (size: large)
 * 2 hydrocortisone ointment packets
 * 1 3-inch gauze roll (roller) bandage
 * 1 roller bandage (4 inches wide)
 * 5 3 x 3-inch sterile gauze pads
 * 5 sterile gauze pads (4 x 4 inches)
 * A thermometer (non-mercury/non-glass)
 * 2 triangular bandages
 * Tweezers

Supplement basic items with personal needs and bleeding-control essentials.
Things like a commercial tourniquet, bandages, and a felt-tipped pen. Take
bleeding-control training to use such and prepare for a bleeding emergency.

Remove, throw away, or use and replace any supplies before they expire. Set a
calendar reminder on your smartphone to update the supplies in your kit every
six months and/or as the healthcare needs of your family change.


CUSTOMIZE YOUR KIT

Think about the healthcare needs of your family when putting together a
first-aid kit. For example:

 * If you have a family member with a severe allergy, include antihistamine
   medicine and an epinephrine injector.
 * If you have elderly family members with fragile skin, including a roll of
   paper tape can be useful for protecting delicate skin.
 * If you or a family member lives with diabetes, include a juice box, glucose
   tablets and gels, and an emergency glucagon injection kit.
 * Chewable, baby aspirin might help someone who has coronary artery disease,
   provided the person is not allergic to aspirin.

Elkins also suggests attaching a note to your kit with instructions on where to
find other items around the house and how to act in specific emergencies. For
example, you can use a note to remind you where sugary drinks and foods are kept
in case of a diabetic emergency.

A person who is using a first-aid kit in an emergency might need to call 911 for
assistance. Having the home or office address written on the outside of the kit
itself can give users a handy location reference for 911 operators.


FIRST AID AS PRACTICAL SKILL

A first-aid kit is a tool, but any tool is only as good as the person using it.

First-aid kits are one place where personal needs and practical skills come
together. There are ways to prepare for emergencies that have nothing to do with
collecting supplies. This includes learning practical skills that you can use to
protect yourself and others.

Many practical skills are easy to learn. Some require special certification or
formal training. Others just education. Practical skills include learning how
to:

 * Perform hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
 * Operate an automated external defibrillator (AED)
 * Apply a tourniquet and control bleeding
 * Administer seizure first aid
 * Use the contents of a first-aid kit

Family, friends, coworkers, and bystanders—not first responders—are often first
on the scene in a medical emergency. Elkins has seen this many times in the
field. “One time, we had a patient who had a very bad accident with a circular
saw,” she recalls. “There was a lot of blood on the floor. The patient’s
coworker, who had no formal training, put all his body weight on the wound and
used it to slow the bleeding. He yelled for help until others came and called
911. He saved his coworker’s life because he made the right decision and took
action.”

You can take action today. “You Are the Help Until Help Arrives” and “Stop the
Bleed” are examples of training that teach you how to provide first care. A good
first-aid kit and the practical skill to use it can help you save someone’s
life.

Learn more ways to prepare your health for emergencies on the CDC website.


RESOURCES

 * #PrepYourHealth: Personal needs
 * #PrepYourHealth: Practical Skills
 * American Red Cross First Aid
 * Stop the Bleed
 * Until Help Arrives
 * Learn Hands-Only CPR
 * Spanish Hands-Only CPR
 * How to Use an AED


REFERENCE

 1. Johnson & Johnson First-Aid Kit History
 2. American Heart Association Aspirin Guidance

 

Thanks in advance for your questions and comments on this Public Health Matters
post. Please note that the CDC does not give personal medical advice. If you are
concerned you have a disease or condition, talk to your doctor.

Have a question for CDC? CDC-INFO (http://www.cdc.gov/cdc-info/index.html)
offers live agents by phone and email to help you find the latest, reliable, and
science-based health information on more than 750 health topics.

Posted on May 13, 2021 by Blog Administrator
Categories emergency, General, Injury, natural disasters, personal health,
preparedness, response
Tags #prepyourhealth, emergency preparedness, first aid kit, Stop the Bleed,
Your Are the Help Until Help Arrives

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


12 COMMENTS ON “MUST-HAVES FOR YOUR FIRST-AID KIT”

Comments listed below are posted by individuals not associated with CDC, unless
otherwise stated. These comments do not represent the official views of CDC, and
CDC does not guarantee that any information posted by individuals on this site
is correct, and disclaims any liability for any loss or damage resulting from
reliance on any such information. Read more about our comment policy ».

Frank Boateng says:
May 14, 2021 at 10:21 am

Thank you 🙏


Martina Taylor says:
June 4, 2021 at 12:01 pm

This is a very useful list — It would be even more useful if there was a
print-friendly version to download and share with family and friends.


Giulia N. says:
September 20, 2021 at 1:24 pm

Importantly, emergencies last more than a day or two. One might need to have
diarrhea medication, meds to stop bleeding (topicals) liquid bandage…something
to move the bowels for over taxed people… it seems like the kit by the EMC
mostly describes needs for cuts in a first aid kit… there may be shock,
dehydration and other conditions of prolonged exposure and lack of professional
help that might be included. I live in Hawaii, they tell us be prepared for 14
days with no emergency services…. that is profound.


VICTORIA FAENZA says:
September 27, 2021 at 6:12 pm

The creation of a first-aid kit and ensuring that the right contents are inside
may be the difference in saving someone’s life. As a nurse, I like to believe
that I would be able to treat minor cuts and wounds with the first aid kit that
I have in my home, but due to not replacing key items, I was unable to do so and
had to utilize makeshift materials until I was able to drive to a nearby
pharmacy. The article mentions replacing any supplies that are used or expired
and that is one tip I would caution to listen to. I believe that it is always
better to have a fully prepared and ready first aid kit in case of any home
emergency. The personalization of the first aid kit and adding your home address
are also great ideas. The article mentions that family, coworkers, friends, and
public bystanders are often the first on a scene during a medical emergency and
that is even more reason that everyone should have basic first aid knowledge. In
addition to the great tips mentioned, I would also advise ensuring that everyone
in the household knows the location of the first-aid kit, how to use the
contents within it, and when to call emergency services.


Shira Rodriguez-Church says:
September 28, 2021 at 9:37 pm

As a registered nurse, I found this blog to have very useful information
regarding what an at-home emergency kit should be equipped with. Emergencies
happen all the time and more often than not, it is family or friends who are
witness to accident or injuries in the home. What impressed me the most about
this blog was the customizing of the emergency at-home kit. This is particularly
useful if someone in the home suffers from a chronic disease such as diabetes.
It is good to have sugary snacks, or even an orange juice box in the kit. My
daughter has epilepsy and in our emergency kit at home, I have dissolvable
clonazepam prescribed by her neurologist and extra doses of her current
antiepileptic medication. I absolutely agree that everyone should consider
taking a CPR class. We always hope we never encounter an emergency with our
loved ones at home, however, we should all take the time to be as prepared as
possible in order to facilitate a positive outcome in the event of such
emergency.


Taalosm says:
November 1, 2021 at 8:32 am

HIIIIIIIIIIIIII THIS ARTICLE WAS GREAT!!!!


Catie Benett says:
November 15, 2021 at 7:54 pm

Well, this is an awesome post and written very well. Your point of view is very
good.


William Weathersbee says:
January 18, 2022 at 7:11 pm

I found the information in this blog very helpful and informative. As a former
medic and current nurse, I would add that the first aid kit should reflect the
location and activities it will be most frequently utilized for. If the activity
warrants it, the kit should include items such as sunscreen or poison ivy
treatments if a lot of time will be spent outdoors in the sun. A first aid kit
carried on a hiking trip should include some ace wrap and oral analgesic in case
of a sprain or joint injury. Specific medical needs of those utilizing the kit
should also be taken into account, items such as a rescue inhaler or glucose gel
may be included to support specific medical needs. The kit should also include a
source of light such as a small self-powered flashlight or glow sticks. The
first aid kit should be able to support a broad variety of common ailments or
injuries and also meet the specific needs of those carrying it. The kit can vary
from small and basic for a short trip to the beach or day hike to very advanced
and specific for a multiday hike in a remote location. Just remember to
familiarize yourself with the kit and what is in it. You should also know how to
properly utilize everything the kit contains.


Lily Lively says:
February 26, 2022 at 6:42 pm

Where can I purchase such a kit


Steven Klein says:
May 14, 2022 at 12:59 pm

I keep a list of contents and the quantity of each item in my first aid kit. I
use the list to inventory the kit on the firth day of each month. I list every
medical instrument, bandage, dressing, and miscellaneous item. I list every
medicine and what it is used for. I keep a list of emergency phone numbers and a
list of family members with their medical problems and allergies in my first aid
kit


Robert Mitchell says:
June 24, 2022 at 2:07 pm

PLEASE post this as a PDF or printer friendly form. Pictures not needed.
This is information I would like to keep with my first aid kit.


Laura B says:
August 5, 2022 at 2:20 pm

I sincerely thank you and all the comments given. I have been wanting to have a
first aid kit for home/auto/hiking but have never been happy with what I find as
pre-packaged.
This is a huge help for me! Now I can make my own, and the inventory list was a
smart idea!!!




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Page last reviewed: May 13, 2021
Page last updated: May 13, 2021
Content source:  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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