SHTF Prep

First aid kit checklist: what to keep at home

A good first aid kit costs little and takes an afternoon to put together. Here's what the Red Cross recommends for a family of four, as a list you can tick off.

Reviewed October 2026

An open first aid bag with bandages, dressings and gauze in mesh pockets
A well-organized first aid bag. Photo: Mathurin Napoly on Unsplash

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What to put in it

Quantities are the Red Cross's suggestions for a family of four.

Item How many
Absorbent compress dressings (5 × 9 in) 2
Adhesive bandages, assorted sizes 25
Adhesive cloth tape (10 yd × 1 in) 1 roll
Antibiotic ointment packets (about 1 g) 5
Antiseptic wipe packets 5
Aspirin packets (81 mg each) 2
Emergency blanket 1
Breathing barrier with one-way valve 1
Instant cold compress 1
Non-latex gloves (size large) 2 pairs
Hydrocortisone ointment packets (about 1 g) 2
Gauze roll bandage, 3 in wide 1
Roller bandage, 4 in wide 1
Sterile gauze pads, 3 × 3 in 5
Sterile gauze pads, 4 × 4 in 5
Oral thermometer (non-mercury, non-glass) 1
Triangular bandages 2
Tweezers 1
First aid instruction booklet 1

Shop ready-made first aid kitsShop supplies to restock a kit

You can buy a ready-made kit or put your own together. Kits come in many sizes, and there are versions made for hiking, camping and boating.

Make it yours

  • Prescription medicines and anything your doctor recommends for your household.
  • Emergency phone numbers, including your doctor, pharmacy and Poison Control (1-800-222-1222).
  • Everyday extras you're likely to reach for, such as pain relievers, allergy medicine, scissors and a flashlight.

For a longer emergency, ask your doctor or pharmacist how to keep an extra supply of your prescription medicines, and keep a list of doses with your emergency kit.

Keep it ready

  • Keep one at home and one in the car, and know where the kit is at your workplace.
  • Check it a couple of times a year. Replace anything used or past its date.
  • Learn to use it. A first aid and CPR class from the Red Cross or the American Heart Association teaches more in an afternoon than any list can.

In a medical emergency, call 911.

Restock your kit

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Sources