First Aid Kit Essentials: Complete Checklist for Home, Car & Travel

A well-stocked kit handles minor injuries and buys time for emergencies.

Core Supplies (All Kits)

• Wound care: Adhesive bandages (assorted), sterile gauze pads (2×2, 4×4), roller gauze, adhesive tape, butterfly closures, antibiotic ointment (bacitracin/polymyxin), antiseptic wipes (BZK/alcohol).
• Trauma: Trauma pad (ABD), tourniquet (CAT/SOF-T), hemostatic gauze (QuikClot), chest seal (HyFin).
• Immobilization: SAM splint, triangular bandages (sling/swathe), elastic wrap (ACE).
• Medications: Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, aspirin (325 mg for MI), antihistamine (diphenhydramine), loperamide, electrolyte packets.
• Tools: Trauma shears, tweezers (splinters/ticks), safety pins, penlight, Nitrile gloves (4+ pairs), CPR mask/face shield.
• Thermal: Instant cold pack, emergency blanket (mylar).
• Documentation: First aid guide, notebook, pen, emergency contacts, medication list.

Setting-Specific Additions

• Home: Burn gel, eye wash, finger splints, thermometer, blood pressure cuff.
• Car: Reflective vest, flashlight, window breaker/seatbelt cutter, fire extinguisher.
• Travel/Backcountry: Blister kit (moleskin, Leukotape), water purification, SAM splint, syringe irrigation, broad-spectrum antibiotic (Rx), epinephrine auto-injector (if allergic).

Maintenance

• Inspect q6mo: expiration dates, sterility, battery function, supply levels.
• Replace used items immediately.
• Customize for household needs (kids, elders, allergies, conditions).

A kit you can't find or is expired is useless. Store accessibly; teach household members location and basics.