The time to prepare for an emergency is before an emergency. From medications to bandages, keeping medical supplies at home can help you prepare to stay healthy in an emergency.

Illness or injury can happen when you least expect it. Having the medical supplies you need at home can turn a potential emergency into a managed event or keep the situation safer until you can get to urgent care.

Whether you’re preparing a kit for a family with children or just for yourself, there are key items and medical supplies you’ll need.

Read on to learn more about essential medical supplies you need at home, how to keep your supplies organized and up-to-date, and what other emergency preparedness items you may want to consider.

A first aid kit is your first line of care for minor injuries and health emergencies. Here’s more information about home first aid and emergency kits that include medical supplies.

The American Red Cross recommends that a first aid kit for a family of four should include the following:

  • Wound care items:
    • 2 pairs of large non-latex gloves
    • 2 absorbent compress dressings, 5 x 9 inches (in)
    • 25 adhesive bandages of various sizes, also called Band-Aids or plasters
    • 2 triangular bandages
    • 1 roll of adhesive cloth tape, 10 yards x 1 inch
    • 5 sterile gauze pads, 3 x 3 in each
    • 5 sterile gauze pads, 4 x 4 in each
    • 5 antibiotic ointment packets, approximately 1 gram (g) per packet
    • 2 hydrocortisone ointment packets, approximately 1 g each
    • 5 antiseptic wipe packets
    • 1 instant cold compress
  • General emergency supplies:
    • tweezers
    • 1 emergency blanket
    • 1 breathing barrier for CPR or rescue breathing (with a one-way valve)
    • oral thermometer (non-mercury, non-glass)
    • a hard copy of emergency first aid instructions (book, pamphlet, or printed from the internet)

These are the basic supplies to keep on hand at all times. However, you can add items based on your individual family needs and other considerations, like where you live and the more common emergencies in your region. For example, are you more likely to experience a hurricane, flooding, or earthquake? You may need additional supplies or a different storage container for your supplies.

There are many other types of first aid kits you may want to consider, such as:

  • car kits
  • office kits
  • kits for sporting events and venues
  • travel kits
  • kits for specific conditions and events, like hiking
  • kits for people with a chronic health condition

Buy a preassembled kit or make your own — which is best for you?

When it comes to building a kit of medical supplies, you have options.

Build your own first aid and emergency prep kit:

Both have advantages and disadvantages. Preparing your own kit allows you to include items specific to you, your family, and your healthcare needs, but it will likely be more labor-intensive. You will also need to find or purchase something to store your kit.

Many agencies have lists of what to include in a first aid kit and a disaster preparedness kit. They have great resources if you decide to build your own. Remember, you don’t have to build it all at once. It can be an ongoing project. Start with wound care items and add more as you can afford them.

Here are resources to help you build a first aid or emergency kit:

Purchase a ready-made kit

Many businesses and online retailers sell fully stocked first aid kits, generally in easy-to-carry bags or backpacks. If you have a flexible spending account (FSA), it may reimburse you for first aid kits. Check with your plan to be sure.

You can shop local retailers in your area or online for first aid kits. You have many options, from simple wound care kits to large, first responder-style duffle bag kits.

While there is no standard or certification for what medical supplies should be in a first aid kit, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has standards for what must be in first aid kits in the workplace. You can look for a purchased kit to be OSHA compliant.

Checklists that help you build your own kit can also be helpful when you are choosing a preassembled kit.

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It’s important to keep up-to-date over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications in a secure, waterproof, and portable location and storage container. Remember to check the expiration date of all medications, use them, and replace them as necessary.

It’s important to keep the tools you will need to monitor and assess health during an emergency in your first aid or emergency kit. Things you will need to keep in your first aid kit include:

  • digital thermometer so you can check a fever accurately
  • a blood pressure monitor, especially if someone in your home has high blood pressure
  • a glucose monitor (if someone in your home has diabetes or prediabetes)
  • a pulse oximeter to monitor oxygen levels, which can be helpful if someone has a respiratory infection like COVID-19 or the flu
  • tweezers to remove debris from a wound, splinter, or tick
  • sharp scissors so you can cut tape, gauze, bandages, or clothing
  • safety pins to help secure bandages or slings
  • instant cold packs that do not need to be refrigerated to treat swelling, bruising, or sprains
  • a hot water bottle or heating pad to help relieve muscle pain
  • a flashlight along with extra batteries (or a crank flashlight) so you have light if you need to treat injuries during a power outage
  • size large nitrile or latex-free gloves to help prevent infection while treating a wound
  • a CPR mask or face shield so you can be safe if you must perform rescue breathing

You may need to add additional items to your first aid or emergency prep kit to help meet your family’s specific health needs. Things like:

  • supplies for pets or service animals, like food, medications, and a collapsible water bowl
  • mobility aids like canes, walkers, or manual wheelchairs, if someone in your home uses them
  • Inhalers or a nebulizer if someone in your family has asthma or another respiratory illness
  • an automated external defibrillator (AED) if someone in your family has a heart condition that puts them at risk for cardiac arrest
  • extra batteries for any items like flashlights and weather radios
  • extra charging cables for your phones
  • a list of phone numbers, email addresses, or social media names for family members and other important contacts, like:
    • doctors
    • veterinarian (if you have pets)
    • pharmacy
    • mental health professionals
    • support people
    • bank
  • physical copies of your prescriptions

It’s important to store your first aid kit in a cool, dry area of your home. Be sure you can get to it quickly in case of an emergency. Make sure all family members know where it is, but also ensure that small children don’t have access to it.

You’ll need to check your kit periodically to ensure that items with expiration dates are still good and replace any that aren’t. Remember to replace items you use from your kit as soon as possible.

Unless you purchase a kit in a container, you’ll also need to choose a container for your medical supplies and first aid kit. It’s a good idea to mark it with first-aid stickers or easy-to-read writing. You can also use boxes or bags that are easy to carry if you need to evacuate during an emergency.

Things to consider when choosing a container for your medical supplies (first aid kit) include, is it:

  • waterproof
  • crush-proof
  • easy to carry
  • in multiple containers
  • easily identifiable as medical supplies and first aid

Examples of suitable containers include:

  • backpacks
  • duffle-style bags
  • plastic bins with water-tight lids and handles
  • small, waterproof suitcases

Once you build or purchase your first aid kit with medical supplies, you’ll need to maintain it so it’s ready if you ever need it. Here are a few tips for keeping your medical supplies usable and safe.

  • Always replace any medical supplies as soon as possible after you use them.
  • Choose a date every 6 months to review the contents of your kits and replace any expired or used supplies.
  • Keep up-to-date paper copies of all your prescriptions in case you need them for travel or to have them refilled if you are moved to an evacuation center or location.
  • Be sure to keep your kit in a cool, dry area — that may mean you can’t keep it in your garage or a storage shed.

Yes, many medical supplies have a shelf life and can expire.It’s important to check any item with an expiration date and replace it if necessary.

Medications, both OTC and prescription, also have expiration dates, which you can rotate out and make available for use in your home before they expire. Remember to replace any items from your medical supplies that you use so you have them in an emergency.

Using your first aid kit for routine wounds and minor injuries is practical and one way to ensure it is accessible. Replacing the items you use can help ensure your medical supplies stay fresh.

Yes, the National Weather Service recommends keeping some supplies in preparation for emergencies and natural disasters. They include things like:

  • bottled water
  • canned food
  • toilet paper
  • sleeping bags, one for each family member
  • personal hygiene items (deodorant, soap, tampons and pads, toothbrushes, and toothpaste)
  • a change of clothes
  • rain gear and coats, depending on the weather in your area
  • cash
  • portable games and books — imagine entertainment without the internet or TV

No one likes to think of emergency situations, but taking time now to collect medical supplies before you need them can help prevent something treatable from becoming a major emergency.

Many organizations have free, printable lists and resources to help you build an emergency kit or first aid kit that includes medical supplies you might need. You can also purchase ready-made first aid and emergency kits and add your personal medications or other individual medical supplies.