What Are 27 Items in a First Aid Kit and Their Uses?

1. Adhesive bandages (Band-Aid or similar brand) in assorted sizes for minor cuts, scrapes, and injuries
2. Sterile gauze pads, nonstick (Adaptic-type, petrolatum) gauze, and adhesive tape
3. Elastic (ACE) bandage for wrapping wrists, ankles, knees, and elbows
4. Triangular bandage for wrapping injuries and making an arm sling
5. Moleskin to apply on blisters or hotspots
6. Eyeshields and pads
7. Aluminum finger splints
8. Thermometer to measure body temperature
9. Tweezers to remove small splinters and ticks
10. Small pair of scissors to cut gauze or fabric
11. Syringe, medicine cup, or medicine spoon for giving specific doses of medicine
12. Blue baby bulb or a soft plastic suction device to clear congestion
13. Disposable ice bags for treating injuries caused by slipping, tripping or falling
14. Face mask to reduce wound contamination risk
15. Sterile cotton balls cotton-tipped swabs to clean wounds
16. Hand sanitizer to sanitize your hands and reduce contamination
17. Latex or non-latex gloves to reduce contamination
18. Antiseptic solution or wipes, such as hydrogen peroxide, povidone-iodine, or chlorhexidine
19. Antibiotic ointments such as bacitracin, polysporin, or mupirocin
20. Sterile eyewash such as contact lens saline solution
21. Calamine lotion for stings or poison ivy
22. Hydrocortisone cream, ointment, or lotion for itching
23. Cough and cold medications
24. Laxatives for constipation
25. Antidiarrheals for diarrhea
26. Antihistamines for allergies
27. Pain-relieving pills, sprays, and creams to treat cramps, sprains, swelling due to muscle pain, and minor injuries

According to the American Red Cross, essential items that should be included in a first aid kit include the following:

Basic first aid kit for a family of four

• 2 absorbent compress dressings (5 × 9 inches)
• 25 adhesive bandages (assorted sizes)
• 1 adhesive cloth tape (10 yards × 1 inch)
• 5 antibiotic ointment packets (approximately one gram)
• 5 antiseptic wipe packets
• 2 packets of aspirin (81 mg each)
• 1 blanket (space blanket)
• 1 breathing barrier (with one-way valve)
• 1 instant cold compress
• 2 pairs of large, non-n-latex gloves
• 2 hydrocortisone ointment packets
• Scissors
• 1 roller bandage (3 inches wide)
• 1 roller bandage (4 inches wide)
• 5 sterile gauze pads (3 × 3 inches)
• 5 sterile gauze pads (4 × 4 inches)
• Oral thermometer (non-mercury/non-glass)
• 2 triangular bandages
• Tweezers
• First aid instruction booklet
• Flashlight or glow sticks
• Blister kit for hiking and camping
• Molefoam
• Moleskin
• 2nd skin
• Medical tape

For major wounds and fractures

• SAM-splint (moldable foam splint)
• Emergency Trauma Dressing (“Israeli” bandage or Ace wrap)
• CAT or SOFTT Tourniquet
• Wound packing gauze (Combat Gauze or Z-Pak dressing)
• “Stop the Bleed” booklet

Over-the-counter medications to consider (especially for travel)

• Ibuprofen (Advil), 20+
• Acetaminophen (Tylenol), 15+
• Aspirin, 15+
• Antihistamine, ×10
• Imodium/Loperamide, ×10
• Sudafed (or an equivalent), ×10
• Throat lozenges, 10+
• Bismuth tabs, ×20
• Oral rehydration, ×3
• Cranberry extract, ×10
• Dramamine, ×10
• Stool softener (laxative), ×15

First aid skills can be critical in certain scenarios and may include:

• Applying a tourniquet and controlling bleeding
• Performing hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
• Operating an automated external defibrillator
• Administering seizure first aid