Your first aid kit should start with supplies to cover a wound, clean it, protect your hands, manage swelling, check temperature and handle small practical problems. Pack the 10 items below first, keep the kit where everyone can reach it, and add supplies based on the people and situations you prepare for.
What are the 10 basic contents of a first aid box?
This is the short list for a home, vehicle or grab-and-go kit. It covers the basic supplies most people reach for first.
| Item | Why it belongs in your kit |
|---|---|
| 1. Adhesive bandages | Cover small cuts and scrapes. |
| 2. Sterile gauze pads | Cover larger wounds or add padding. |
| 3. Absorbent compress dressings | Handle wounds that need more coverage than a small bandage. |
| 4. Adhesive cloth tape | Hold gauze and dressings in place. |
| 5. Antiseptic wipes | Clean around a minor wound when soap and water are not handy. |
| 6. Antibiotic ointment packets | An option for minor wound care, stored in single-use packets. |
| 7. Nonlatex gloves | Keep a barrier between your hands and bodily fluids. |
| 8. Instant cold compress | Useful for a bump or minor swelling. |
| 9. Non-mercury thermometer | Lets you check a temperature without a glass-and-mercury device. |
| 10. Tweezers | Help with small splinters or debris. |
These are a practical condensed version of the items listed in the first aid kit basics shared by Wellmark from American Red Cross guidance. Add a first-aid instruction guide if other people may need to use the kit.
What are 12 important items in a first aid kit?
Add these two items to the 10-item list when space allows:
- Roller bandage: useful for securing a dressing.
- Triangular bandage: a versatile cloth bandage for support or securing a dressing.
For eye problems, do not improvise with tweezers or pressure. The National Eye Institute first aid tips say to rinse sand or dust from an eye with water, use a cold compress after a blow to the eye, and avoid pulling out an object stuck in the eye.
How do you build a 20- or 30-item first aid kit?
Once the basics are packed, build by job instead of buying random extras. A 20-item kit is a solid household starting point. A 30-item kit adds more capacity for travel, outdoor time or a larger household.
| Build level | Add these supplies |
|---|---|
| 20-item kit | Gauze roll, 4-inch roller bandage, triangular bandages, hydrocortisone ointment packets, breathing barrier with one-way valve, emergency blanket, first-aid guide, flashlight and spare batteries, hand sanitizer, and a small notebook with emergency contacts. |
| 30-item kit | Add a second set of gloves, extra gauze and bandages, an extra cold compress, a splint if it fits your planned use, a face mask, a whistle, a small scissors, eye-rinse supplies, personal medicines, and copies of key medical and contact information. |
Keep personal items separate and clearly labeled. The Ready.gov disaster supply list specifically calls out prescription medicines, non-prescription medicines, eyeglasses, contact-lens solution, infant supplies and pet supplies as needs that vary by household.
What should be in a first aid kit for 10 people?
Start with the same categories, then increase the quantities that get used up: bandages, gauze, tape, antiseptic wipes, ointment packets, gloves and cold compresses. Include each person’s needed medicines and a current emergency contact list.
- Pack enough wound-care supplies for more than one injury.
- Include several pairs of nonlatex gloves, not one pair.
- Keep a separate, labeled pouch for each person’s personal medicines or specialty items.
- Add children’s, older adults’ and pet needs before adding convenience gear.
- Put the kit in a container that one person can carry.
For a larger household kit, water is part of the plan too. The CDC emergency water guidance recommends at least one gallon per person per day for several days for drinking and sanitation, with more for people who are sick, pregnant, pets or hot conditions.
What turns a first aid kit into an emergency kit?
A first aid kit handles immediate care. An emergency kit helps you function when power, water, stores or transportation are disrupted. Keep the first aid kit inside or beside the emergency kit, not as a replacement for it.
Ten core emergency-kit items are:
- Water
- Nonperishable food
- First aid kit
- Flashlight
- Extra batteries
- Battery-powered or hand-crank radio
- Whistle
- Dust mask
- Phone charger and backup battery
- Local map
To expand to 20 emergency items, add a manual can opener, cash, important documents in a waterproof container, garbage bags and plastic ties, moist towelettes, wrench or pliers, duct tape, plastic sheeting, warm blankets and sturdy shoes. These categories follow the federal emergency supply checklist.
What are 20 items in a survival kit?
A survival kit needs the same basics, but it should match where you may be stranded. For a vehicle, trail, evacuation bag or home outage, prioritize water, light, communication, warmth, navigation and first aid.
- Water and a way to carry it
- Nonperishable food
- First aid kit
- Flashlight
- Extra batteries
- Weather radio
- Phone charger and backup battery
- Whistle
- Emergency blanket
- Rain layer
- Warm clothing
- Sturdy footwear
- Local map
- Cash
- Copies of key documents
- Personal medicines
- Glasses or contact supplies
- Multi-purpose wrench or pliers
- Manual can opener
- Sanitation supplies
For a pack you may have to carry, see the site’s bug out bag essentials. For a home outage, use the power outage checklist alongside your medical supplies.
How do you build a 50-item first aid kit without filling it with junk?
Do not chase the number. A 50-item kit makes sense when it gives you more depth in five jobs: wound care, cleaning, protection, comfort and household-specific needs. Use this order:
- Wound care: several sizes of bandages, sterile pads, compress dressings, gauze rolls, roller bandages, tape and triangular bandages.
- Cleaning: antiseptic wipes, hand sanitizer, soap, clean water access and disposable wipes.
- Protection: multiple pairs of gloves, breathing barrier, face masks and an emergency blanket.
- Tools and checks: tweezers, scissors, thermometer, cold compresses, flashlight and a first-aid guide.
- Personal needs: medicines, glasses supplies, infant supplies, pet supplies and a written emergency contact list.
A deeper kit is useful only if you can find what you need. Keep wound supplies together, label personal pouches, and check expiration dates. Use the site’s first-aid kit replacement checklist to keep supplies current.
Before you call your kit finished
- Make sure every person in the home knows where it is.
- Keep one kit at home and consider smaller kits for your vehicle and work location.
- Store water separately in a cool, dark place. The CDC says unopened commercial bottled water is a reliable emergency source.
- Replace expired supplies and update medicines and contact information.
- Add items for your actual risks: children, pets, outdoor work, distance from care, weather and power outages.
For a more detailed medical build-out beyond basic care, use extended medical and dental kits. For a field-ready packing list, see the wilderness first aid kit checklist.
By ThePreppersBlueprint.com Editorial Team