First Aid Kit Checklist: What to Pack for Emergencies
Updated: 2 days ago
Quick answer: A good first aid kit checklist starts with the American Red Cross list for a family of four: dressings, 25 assorted adhesive bandages, tape, antiseptic wipes, antibiotic ointment, gauze, nonlatex gloves, a cold pack, an emergency blanket, tweezers and a first aid guide. Then add your own medications, a bleeding-control layer (tourniquet and pressure dressing, with training), and keep one kit at home, one in the car and a small one in your go-bag.
Most homes have a first aid "kit" that is really a shoebox of old bandages and a tube of ointment from 2019. That works for a paper cut. It does not work when the power is out, the roads are closed, or someone is bleeding badly and help is still minutes away. This guide walks you through exactly what to pack, how a first aid kit is different from a trauma kit, and how to keep everything fresh, with sources from the American Red Cross, Ready.gov, Mayo Clinic and the American College of Surgeons Stop the Bleed program.
First Aid Kit vs Trauma Kit: What's the Difference?
People use these words like they mean the same thing. They don't, and the difference matters when you're packing.
A first aid kit handles the everyday stuff
Cuts, scrapes, blisters, splinters, minor burns, sprains, headaches and upset stomachs. This is the kit you'll open most often. It's mostly bandages, gauze, tape, antiseptics, ointments and over-the-counter medicine.
A trauma kit (or IFAK) handles severe bleeding
IFAK stands for individual first aid kit, a term from the military. A trauma kit is built for the rare, scary moments: a deep cut from a chainsaw or broken glass, a car crash, a fall onto something sharp. It centers on bleeding control: a tourniquet, a pressure or emergency bandage, wound-packing gauze and gloves. The ACS Stop the Bleed program teaches three bleeding control actions: use your hands to apply direct pressure, pack the wound, and apply a tourniquet.
Which one do you need?
Both, ideally. Your everyday kit keeps small problems small. A small bleeding-control kit covers the emergencies where minutes count. They can live in the same bag, as long as the trauma items sit on top or in their own pouch, where you can grab them fast.
The First Aid Kit Checklist (Home Kit)
Print this list or keep it on your phone. It's based on the Red Cross family-of-four list, with a few extras from Mayo Clinic's first aid kit guide.
Wound care
2 absorbent compress dressings (5 x 9 inches)
25 adhesive bandages, assorted sizes (add a few "butterfly" closures)
1 roll of adhesive cloth tape (10 yards x 1 inch)
5 sterile gauze pads (3 x 3 inches) and 5 sterile gauze pads (4 x 4 inches)
1 roller gauze bandage (3 inches) and 1 roller bandage (4 inches)
2 triangular bandages (can be used as a sling)
Elastic wrap bandage for sprains
Nonstick sterile pads for burns and scrapes
Cleaning and infection control
5 antiseptic wipe packets
5 antibiotic ointment packets
2 hydrocortisone ointment packets
Hand sanitizer
At least 2 pairs of nonlatex gloves (size large)
Sterile saline or eyewash for flushing wounds and eyes
Tools
Tweezers
Scissors (trauma shears cut through clothing easily)
Oral thermometer (non-mercury, non-glass)
1 instant cold compress
Safety pins and an aluminum finger splint
1 breathing barrier with a one-way valve, for CPR
1 emergency blanket
Small flashlight or headlamp with spare batteries
A first aid guide or instruction card
Medications
Pain relievers (acetaminophen, ibuprofen)
Aspirin (the Red Cross list includes two 81 mg packets; see the note below)
Antihistamine for allergic reactions
Anti-diarrhea medicine, antacids and a laxative (Ready.gov lists all of these)
Hydrocortisone cream and calamine or aloe for skin
Prescription epinephrine auto-injector, if a doctor prescribed one for someone in your home
A note on aspirin: Mayo Clinic says aspirin may be lifesaving for an adult with chest pain, but only after you call for emergency help, and not for anyone allergic to aspirin, on blood thinners, or told by a doctor not to take it. Never give aspirin to children.
Emergency info
Emergency contacts, your doctor and pediatrician
Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222 (free, 24/7)
A medication and allergy list for each family member
Copies of insurance cards
Notepad and a pen or pencil
Bleeding Control Add-On (Trauma Basics)
This is the part most store-bought kits skip. Add it to your home kit, your car and your go-bag:
1 commercial tourniquet (a real one from a trusted maker, not a cheap knockoff)
1 pressure or emergency bandage
Wound-packing gauze (plain or hemostatic)
An extra pair of gloves
Trauma shears
A marker, to write the time a tourniquet was applied
Gear without training is only half the job. A tourniquet you have never practiced with is hard to use under stress. Take a Stop the Bleed course, in person or online, and practice on yourself (gently) once or twice a year.
If you want a bag to build it in, our Rothco EMS Trauma Backpack ($89.99) has multiple compartments for organizing trauma supplies and first aid gear, and it works for a car kit or a house kit. Stock it with the items from the list above.
Car Kit and Go-Bag Kit
Your car and your go-bag need smaller, tougher versions of the home kit. The Red Cross advises keeping a first aid kit in your home and in your car, and Ready.gov says to prepare supplies for home, work and cars, because you don't know where you'll be when something happens.
Car first aid kit
A compact first aid kit in a hard, sealed case (heat, cold and spills are tough on soft pouches)
Bleeding-control add-on (tourniquet, pressure bandage, gloves)
Emergency blanket
Hand sanitizer and wipes
A few days of any critical prescription meds, if they can handle the temperature swings (ask your pharmacist)
The Rothco General Purpose First Aid Kit Waterproof Case ($50.99) is a good fit here. The listing says it has over 60 items, including more than 30 adhesive bandages, tape, antibiotic ointment, alcohol prep pads, iodine wipes and peroxide, in a gasket-sealed hard case about 7.5 x 4.5 x 2.75 inches. For the rest of the car setup, see our car emergency kit checklist.
Go-bag (IFAK-style) kit
In a go-bag, weight and access matter most. Pack:
Bleeding-control items in an outside pouch, where you can reach them first
10 to 15 adhesive bandages, a few gauze pads and a small roll of tape
Blister care (moleskin or blister bandages), because you'll be walking
A few doses of pain reliever, antihistamine and anti-diarrhea medicine
At least a 7-day supply of personal prescriptions, if your doctor and pharmacy allow it
An emergency blanket such as the Rothco Polarshield Survival Blanket ($5.99)
Want a dedicated medical bag? The Rothco EMS Trauma Backpack ($89.99) has multiple compartments and MOLLE webbing to organize trauma supplies, first aid and medical gear, so you can see everything at a glance. Picking the right pack matters too, so read how to choose a bug out bag backpack.
Medications and Personal Items
The best first aid kit for your family is the one built around your family. Ready.gov notes that about half of all Americans take a prescription medicine every day, and an emergency can make it hard to refill a prescription or find an open pharmacy. A few things to think about:
Prescriptions: Ask your doctor or pharmacist about keeping a small backup supply, and how to store it safely.
Allergies: If anyone in your home has a serious allergy, keep their prescribed auto-injector where everyone knows to find it.
Kids: Children's doses of pain and fever medicine, plus a thermometer. For babies, follow our baby emergency kit checklist.
Glasses and contacts: Ready.gov lists prescription eyeglasses and contact lens solution as emergency supplies.
Pets: Animals need their own supplies. See the pet emergency kit checklist.
Medical conditions: People with disabilities or ongoing medical needs can find planning tips on Ready.gov's disability page.
How long should you plan for? Many countries tell their citizens to plan for at least 72 hours, and some ask for a week or more. See how countries tell their citizens to prepare to pick your own number.
Storage and Rotation
A first aid kit only helps if you can find it and nothing inside has expired.
Pick one spot and tell everyone. Mayo Clinic says to store kits where they're easy to reach but out of reach of young children, and to make sure older kids know where they are.
Keep it cool and dry. Bathrooms get steamy, so a hall closet or kitchen shelf is usually better. Car kits face heat and cold, so check them more often.
Check twice a year. The Red Cross says to check your kit regularly and replace anything used or out of date. An easy reminder is when the clocks change in spring and fall.
Date it. Mayo Clinic suggests marking the kit with the date it was last used.
Restock right away. If you use the last gauze pad, add it to the shopping list that day.
Test the batteries in your flashlight or headlamp every time you check the kit.
Skills and Training: The Most Important Item
Supplies are the easy part. Knowing what to do is what saves lives.
First aid and CPR: The American Red Cross offers first aid classes and CPR classes. Search by ZIP code to find one near you.
Bleeding control: The ACS Stop the Bleed course teaches pressure, wound packing and tourniquets. Courses are offered in person and online.
Practice at home: Once a year, open the kit as a family and walk through it. Who can find the tourniquet? Who knows where the gloves are?
Call 911 If...
Your kit is for the minutes before help arrives, not instead of it. Call 911 right away if someone:
Is bleeding heavily, or the bleeding won't stop with firm pressure
Has trouble breathing, or their lips or face are swelling
Has chest pain or pressure, or signs of a stroke (face drooping, arm weakness, slurred speech)
Is unconscious, confused or having a seizure
Has a head, neck or back injury after a fall or crash
Has a large or deep burn, or a burn on the face, hands or groin
May have swallowed something poisonous (you can also call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222)
FAQ
What should be in a basic first aid kit?
At minimum: assorted adhesive bandages, gauze pads, roller bandage, tape, antiseptic wipes, antibiotic ointment, gloves, tweezers, scissors, a cold pack, an emergency blanket, pain relievers and a first aid guide. The Red Cross list above is a solid baseline for a family of four.
Is a store-bought first aid kit good enough?
It's a good start. Most store kits are heavy on small bandages and light on gauze, gloves and bleeding control. Use the checklist above to fill the gaps, and add your own medications.
How often should I check my first aid kit?
At least twice a year, and any time you use something. Check expiration dates on medicine, ointments and wipes, and replace anything used or out of date.
Should I put a tourniquet in my first aid kit?
A tourniquet is the core of bleeding control, and Stop the Bleed training includes how to apply one. Buy a genuine commercial tourniquet and take a course so you know how and when to use it.
How many first aid kits do I need?
At least one at home and one in each car, as the Red Cross and Mayo Clinic both suggest, plus a small kit in each go-bag.
What's the difference between an IFAK and a first aid kit?
An IFAK (individual first aid kit) is a small, personal kit focused on severe bleeding and trauma. A regular first aid kit covers everyday cuts, burns, sprains and illness. Most preppers carry both.
Build It This Weekend
You don't need to buy everything at once. Start with the home kit checklist, add a bleeding-control layer, then build the car and go-bag versions. Put a reminder on your calendar to check them every spring and fall, and sign up for one class this year. Prepper Shop ships to the continental US (lower 48 states plus DC).
This article is general information, not medical advice. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist about medications and your family's specific needs, and take a certified first aid course. In an emergency, call 911.
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