Req 9 — First Aid Merit Badge

The First Aid merit badge is a prerequisite for Emergency Preparedness. You must earn it before (or at the same time as) you complete this badge. The two badges are deeply connected — emergency preparedness gives you the framework for thinking about emergencies, and first aid gives you the hands-on skills to help people when they are hurt.

Why First Aid Is Required

Think about everything you have learned in this merit badge so far:

• In Requirement 4, you learned how to rescue someone from dangerous situations — electric shock, carbon monoxide, fire, and drowning. But what do you do after the rescue? You provide first aid.
• In Requirement 6, you learned how to transport an injured person on an improvised stretcher. But before you move them, you need to assess and stabilize their injuries — that is first aid.
• In Requirement 8, you prepared for emergency service, where first aid skills are essential for any Scout responding to a disaster.

First aid is not a separate skill — it is the foundation of every emergency response.

What You Will Learn in First Aid

The First Aid merit badge covers:

• How to check a scene for safety and assess an injured person
• CPR and rescue breathing
• Treatment for bleeding, shock, burns, fractures, and sprains
• How to handle choking, heat exhaustion, hypothermia, and allergic reactions
• Bandaging techniques and splinting
• When and how to call for professional medical help

First Aid Merit Badge on This Site

You can find the complete requirements and a Digital Resource Guide for the First Aid merit badge right here on Merit Badge University.