# First Aid Kits

Part of the First Aid Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide: [Introduction & Overview](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/first-aid/guide/index.md)

*2. Preparing for Emergencies*

> **2b.** Using checklists provided in the First Aid merit badge pamphlet or ones approved by your counselor, do the following:

This requirement has two parts: building your own personal first aid kit for hiking and backpacking, and then inspecting a larger shared kit (your unit's, a vehicle kit, or a home kit) with your counselor.

## Requirement 2b1: Build a Personal Hiking First Aid Kit

> **2b1.** Assemble a personal first-aid kit for hiking and backpacking. Demonstrate the proper use of each item in your first-aid kit to your counselor.

A personal hiking first aid kit is small, light, and built for the specific hazards of outdoor activity: blisters, cuts, sprains, insect stings, and the occasional more serious injury. Think of it as the kit that's always with you, even when you're far from the troop's gear bag.

### Core Items for a Hiking Kit

Use the BSA's official checklist as your starting point. Here are the categories to cover and why each matters:

**Wound care:**
- Assorted adhesive bandages (multiple sizes — a tiny bandage won't cover a heel blister)
- Gauze pads (2" × 2" and 4" × 4") for larger wounds
- Medical tape (athletic or medical-grade — holds dressings and supports rolled ankles)
- Antiseptic wipes or solution (to clean wounds before dressing)
- Antibiotic ointment packets (single-use)
- Moleskin and a blister treatment (foam or gel pads)

**Tools:**
- Tweezers with sharp tips (for splinters, ticks, cactus spines)
- Small scissors (cutting tape, clothing around wounds)
- Safety pins (slings, securing bandages)
- Digital thermometer (know when a fever warrants evacuation)

**Medications (confirm with parents/counselor before packing):**
- Antihistamine (diphenhydramine) — for mild allergic reactions, insect bites
- Pain reliever (ibuprofen or acetaminophen) — injury management and fever
- Anti-diarrheal medication — stomach illness in the field

**Protection:**
- Nitrile gloves × 2 pairs (infection control — see Req 1c)
- CPR face shield (one-way valve for rescue breathing)
- Emergency mylar blanket (shock management, hypothermia prevention)

**Documentation:**
- A small card with emergency contacts, your blood type, and any known allergies

### What "Demonstrate Proper Use" Means

Your counselor will ask you to show them each item and explain when and how you'd use it. This isn't memorization — it's practical. For example:

- *Moleskin:* Show how to cut a donut shape around a hot spot before it fully blisters, and how to apply it so it relieves pressure.
- *Tweezers:* Explain the correct angle for removing a tick (straight out, no twisting).
- *Gloves:* Demonstrate how to put them on and take them off without contaminating yourself.
- *Gauze and tape:* Show a basic wound dressing — gauze over the wound, taped down at all four edges.

[Personal, Family, and Troop First Aid Kit Checklist (PDF)](https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/Merit_Badge_ReqandRes/Requirement%20Resources/First%20Aid/Personal%20Family%20Troop%20First%20Aid%20Kit%20Checklist.pdf): BSA's official checklist covering personal, family, and troop kit contents — the authoritative reference for assembling kits that meet counselor expectations.

[First Aid Kit Checklists and Buying Guide](https://scoutlife.org/video-audio/4937/first-aid-kit-buying-guide/): Scout Life's practical guide to assembling and customizing first aid kits for different Scouting activities.

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## Requirement 2b2: Inspect a Shared First Aid Kit

> **2b2.** With your counselor, inspect a unit, home, vehicle, or camp first-aid kit and discuss your findings.

Larger shared first aid kits — the kind kept in a patrol box, the family medicine cabinet, or the glove compartment — are only useful if they're well-stocked, organized, and current. This part of the requirement teaches you to evaluate a kit critically.

### What to Look For During Your Inspection

Work through the kit systematically with your counselor and note:

- **Completeness:** Are all essential categories represented? Compare against the BSA checklist.
- **Expiration dates:** Medications and some supplies have expiration dates. Expired medications can be less effective or potentially harmful.
- **Condition:** Are sterile items still sealed? Are adhesive bandages dried out or wrinkled? Is tape dried and crumbling?
- **Organization:** Can you find what you need in an emergency without emptying the whole kit?
- **Appropriateness for intended use:** A vehicle kit should have supplies relevant to car accidents (e.g., a tourniquet). A camp kit should cover outdoor-specific injuries. A home kit should include temperature-taking tools and medications.

### What to Discuss

After the inspection, your counselor will want to talk through:

- What's missing and why it matters?
- What should be restocked?
- Are there items specific to the group's needs (known allergies, regular medications for participants) that should be added?
- Who is responsible for maintaining this kit and checking it regularly?

> **Tip**
>
> Bring a pencil and paper to your kit inspection. Write down everything that needs to be restocked, replaced, or added. Then actually help restock it — that's the Scout approach.

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Now that you're prepared — health records in place, kit assembled — you'll learn about the wide range of skin and environmental injuries you might encounter in the outdoors.

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- Previous: [Health Records](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/first-aid/guide/req2a/index.md)
- Next: [Burns, Bites & Skin Injuries](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/first-aid/guide/req3/index.md)