First Aid Kit
Start here
A store-bought kit is fine to begin with. Open it, learn what is inside, and add what is missing from the lists below. A modest kit you know well beats an impressive one you have never opened.
At a glance
- One container, one place — tell everyone where it lives.
- Check dates twice a year when clocks change: replace expired, restock used.
- Restock within a week after every use.
- A modest kit you know well beats an impressive one you have never opened.
The home kit
Pick one container, keep it in one place, and tell everyone where it lives. Aim for enough supplies to handle several problems, not just one.
Tourniquet note
A purpose-made commercial tourniquet is worth adding once the basics are covered. Learn it hands-on from a stop-the-bleed course if you can; improvised tourniquets are a last resort covered on the Severe Bleeding page.
Car and go-bag kits
The car kit handles roadside cuts, burns, and minor crashes when stores are closed. The go-bag version assumes you may walk with it, so keep it small.
Medicines shelf
Stock only medicines your household actually uses, in quantities you can rotate. Check dates twice a year when clocks change: replace anything expired, restock anything used, and update the instruction card if phone numbers or conditions changed.
Storage
Keep all medicines in original labeled containers, up high or locked away from children, dry, and out of direct heat. Never store medicines in a hot car long-term — heat degrades them faster than the printed date.
Maintenance rhythm
- Twice a year: check expiry dates and replace worn items.
- After every use: restock within a week, while it is fresh in mind.
- Once a year: reread the instruction card. Skills fade faster than supplies.
Grounded in public-domain FEMA/CDC first aid kit guidance. Educational only — follow packaging directions and professional advice for any medicine.