The Badge Archive

Red Cross First Aid Kit Info

The Red Cross gives specific information on what to include for a first aid kit for a family of four.

  • Wound Care
    • 2 absorbent compress dressings (5×9 in)
    • 25 adhesive bandages (assorted sizes)
    • 1 adhesive cloth tape (10 yd × 1 in)
    • 1 gauze roll bandage (3 in)
    • 1 gauze roll bandage (4 in)
    • 5 sterile gauze pads (3×3 in)
    • 5 sterile gauze pads (4×4 in)
  • Cleaning & Ointments
    • 5 antiseptic wipe packets
    • 5 antibiotic ointment packets
    • 2 hydrocortisone ointment packets
  • Medications (Leader‑Controlled)
    • 2 packets of aspirin (81 mg each)
    • (Not Red Cross recommended, but often seen in Scout Troop Kits)
      • Children’s Chewable Tylenol
      • Children’s Chewable Benadryl
  • Cold Treatment
    • 1 instant cold compresses
  • Tools
    • Tweezers
    • Oral thermometer (non‑mercury, nonglass)
  • Protection & Safety
    • 2 pairs of nonlatex gloves (large)
    • 1 breathing barrier (with one‑way valve)
    • 1 emergency blankets
  • Support & Immobilization
    • 2 triangular bandages

First Aid Kit Walk‑Through

The Purpose of a First Aid Kit

  • A first aid kit helps you take care of small injuries and keep someone safe until an adult or medical help arrives.
  • The goal is not to “fix everything”. It’s to protect, clean, cool, cover, or support an injury.

Wound Care Supplies

  • What they are:
    • Absorbent compress dressings → Thick pads used for big wounds or heavy bleeding.
    • Adhesive bandages → Small bandages for minor cuts and scrapes.
    • Sterile gauze pads → Soft, clean squares used to cover and protect wounds.
    • Gauze roll bandages → Long rolls used to wrap injuries or hold gauze pads in place.
    • Adhesive cloth tape → Sticky medical tape used to secure gauze or bandages.
  • When to use them:
    • Absorbent compress dressings → When a wound is large, bleeding a lot, or needs quick pressure.
    • Adhesive bandages → When a cut is small and just needs a simple cover.
    • Sterile gauze pads → When a wound is bigger, messier, or in a place a bandage won’t stick.
    • Gauze roll bandages → When you need to wrap an injury or keep gauze pads from moving.
    • Adhesive cloth tape → When you need to secure gauze or a dressing without wrapping the whole limb.
  • How to use safely:
    • Clean the wound first if possible (water or antiseptic wipe).
    • Don’t touch the sterile part of gauze or bandages.
    • Place the pad gently over the wound.
    • Wrap firmly but not tightly. Fingers and toes should stay warm and pink.
    • Use tape only on skin around the wound, not on the wound itself.
    • If blood soaks through, add more pads on top. Don’t remove the first one.

Cleaning & Ointments Supplies

  • What they are:
    • Antiseptic wipes → Pre‑moistened wipes used to clean the skin and remove dirt and germs.
    • Antibiotic ointment packets → A small packet of ointment that helps protect cuts from infection.
    • Hydrocortisone ointment packets → A mild anti‑itch ointment used to reduce redness, itching, or irritation (like bug bites or mild rashes).
  • When to use them:
    • Antiseptic wipes → To clean a cut, scrape, or minor wound before putting on a bandage.
    • Antibiotic ointment → After cleaning a wound, to help prevent infection and keep the area moist.
    • Hydrocortisone ointment → Helps reduce redness, swelling, and itching from minor skin irritation. Not for open wounds.
  • How to use safely:
    • Antiseptic wipes:
      • Wipe gently from the center of the wound outward.
      • Use only one wipe per wound to avoid spreading germs.
    • Antibiotic ointment:
      • Apply only to clean skin.
      • Use a small amount of ointment. A thin layer is enough.
      • Stop using if the skin becomes red or irritated.
      • Antibiotics are usually only needed if a wound becomes infected. Signs of infection: pus, yellow crusts, pain, redness or dark discoloration, swelling, warmth, streaks on the skin, fever, or feeling very hot or very cold.
      • Stop using if the skin becomes red or irritated.
    • Hydrocortisone ointment:
      • Use on intact skin only (never inside a cut). This ointment is for external use only.
      • Apply a small amount to the itchy area.
      • Do not use if the person has a known allergy.

Medications (Leader‑Controlled)

  • What they are:
    • Aspirin (81 mg) → A low‑dose adult medication sometimes used in emergencies by trained adults, typically when a person presents signs and symptoms of a heart attack.
    • Children’s chewable Tylenol → A children’s pain‑relief and fever‑reduction medicine.
    • Children’s chewable Benadryl → A children’s allergy‑relief medicine.
  • When to use them:
    • Aspirin → Included because some trained adults may use it in certain emergencies.(only with permission and according to troop policy).
    • Children’s Tylenol → Helps adults care for youth with pain or fever (only with permission and according to troop policy).
    • Children’s Benadryl → Helps adults respond to mild allergic reactions (only with permission and according to troop policy).
  • How to use safely:
    • Youth should never take medication from the kit on their own. Only leaders handle medications.
    • Leaders follow troop rules, parent permissions, and training before giving anything.
    • Before a trained adult considers giving aspirin in a suspected heart attack, they first make sure help is already on the way and check whether the person can safely take aspirin based on their allergies, medical history, and medications.
    • Watch for serious allergy symptoms (like swelling of the mouth or face, trouble breathing, vomiting, drooling, or sudden irritability) and seek emergency help if those symptoms appear even after giving a dose of Benadryl.

Cold Treatment

  • What it is:
  • When to use it:
    • Swelling, sprains, bumps, or bruises.
  • How to use safely:
    • Wrap in a cloth if it feels too cold.
    • Use for 20 minutes at a time.

Support and Immobilization

  • What it is:
  • When to use it:
    • Arm injuries, shoulder injuries, or to keep a splint in place.
  • How to use safely:
    • Support the injured part in the position you find it.
    • Tie knots at the side of the neck, not the back.

Tools

  • What they are:
    • Tweezers → A small metal tool used to grab tiny objects.
    • Oral thermometer → A tool that measures body temperature to check for fever.
  • When to use them:
    • Tweezers → To remove splinters, small pieces of debris, or anything loose on the skin.
    • Oral thermometer → When someone feels sick, hot, or chilled, and you need to check if they have a fever.
  • How to use safely:
    • Tweezers
      • Clean the tweezers with an antiseptic wipe before and after use.
      • Grab only what is sticking out of the skin.
      • Never dig into the skin. If it’s deep or painful, get adult or medical help.
    • Thermometer
      • Make sure the person hasn’t eaten or drunk anything hot or cold for a few minutes.
      • Place the thermometer under the tongue and wait for it to beep.
      • Clean it with soap and water or an antiseptic wipe after use.
      • Never use glass or mercury thermometers. They can break.

Protection & Safety

  • What they are:
    • Nonlatex gloves → Disposable gloves that protect you from blood and body fluids.
    • Breathing barrier → A small mask with a one‑way valve that protects both people during CPR.
    • Emergency blanket → A thin, shiny blanket that helps keep someone warm or prevent shock.
  • When to use them:
    • Nonlatex gloves → Anytime you are helping someone who is bleeding, vomiting, or has body fluids present.
    • Breathing barrier → Only during CPR, to give rescue breaths safely.
    • Emergency blanket → When someone is cold, shivering, or showing shock symptoms (pale, dizzy, confused), or after an accident.
  • How to use safely:
    • Nonlatex Gloves
      • Put them on before touching blood or body fluids.
      • Take them off by peeling from the wrist so you don’t touch the outside.
      • Throw them away in a trash bag or sealed container.
    • Breathing Barrier
      • Place the barrier over the person’s mouth and nose.
      • Make sure the one‑way valve is centered over the mouth.
      • Follow your CPR training for rescue breaths.
    • Emergency Blanket
      • Wrap it loosely around the person.
      • Cover the shoulders and torso first.
      • Don’t overheat them. The goal is gentle warmth, not sweating.

How to Check and Maintain a First Aid Kit

  • Look for items that are running low.
  • Replace anything used or expired (Red Cross recommends regular checks).
  • Keep the kit in a place everyone knows.
  • Make sure items stay clean and dry.

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For More Fun Ideas and Plans

Join the Girl Scout Daisy, Brownie, and Junior Leader Help Facebook Group
(Not an official GSUSA Group)

Join the Girl Scout Cadette, Senior, and Ambassador Leader Help Facebook Group
(Not an official GSUSA Group)

See other Recommended Facebook Groups for some Scouting Organizations
(No official Groups)

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Published on December 29, 2025, by:

Tia Kennard

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Disclaimer: The information published on The Badge Archive is built from the references listed below. These sources demonstrate that our content is grounded in facts and research, not opinion or speculation. Readers may consult them directly when looking for additional material.

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Short Link:

Tia Kennard