Home first aid kit checklist: what it should contain

⏱ 2 min read

What it should contain and how to store it. A guide based on official advice. The same text is in the free SurvivalZone.app and works without internet.

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Medicines

Regular medicines for everyone in the household, with a reserve.
Painkillers and fever reducers.
Anti-inflammatories.
Remedies for diarrhoea, vomiting and nausea, plus rehydration salts.
Cold remedies and a nasal spray.
Something for sunburn and insect bites.

Dressings

Plasters in different sizes.
Sterile gauze and compresses.
Conforming and elastic bandages.
A burn dressing.
A tourniquet for severe bleeding.
A triangular bandage.

Equipment

Disposable gloves.
Wound and skin disinfectant.
A thermometer, scissors and tweezers.
A foil emergency blanket.
Filtering face masks (FFP2 or FFP3).
A cold pack.

Storage

Somewhere cool and dry. The bathroom is a bad place because it is warm and damp.
Out of children's reach: up high or in a lockable cabinet.
Check use-by dates every few months and return expired medicines to a pharmacy that takes them back.

Watch out

This list is general. Choose medicines for children, pregnant women and people with long-term conditions with a doctor or pharmacist.
Learn to use a tourniquet on a first aid course. Applied well, it saves lives.

Frequently asked questions

What should a home first aid kit contain?

Regular medicines, painkillers and fever reducers, plasters, gauze, bandages, a burn dressing, a tourniquet, gloves, disinfectant, a thermometer, scissors and a foil blanket.

Where should I keep the first aid kit?

Somewhere cool and dry, out of children's reach. Not in the bathroom, because heat and damp harm medicines.

What should I do with expired medicines?

Do not throw them in the bin or down the toilet. Take them back to a pharmacy that accepts them, or follow your local rules.

Keep it on your phone

SurvivalZone.app is a free app for every emergency, with no account and no app store. It works without internet and shows the nearest shelters and help points, local radio, a 72-hour plan and a mountain trip planner.

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Sources

Official sources are checked automatically every day. Last check: 2026-11-08.

General guidance only; it does not replace the emergency services. If a life is in danger, call 112.