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First aid & medicine · Updated

Home medicine and first-aid kit: what to keep and how to store it

What medicines and first-aid supplies should I keep at home for an emergency?

Keep a stocked first-aid kit, a list of every person's medicines, and at least a week or more of prescriptions where your doctor and plan allow. Know how to store insulin without power. Add a trauma kit with a tourniquet and take a first-aid or Stop the Bleed course.

The short answer

Three things matter most: a first-aid kit you can find in the dark, an up-to-date list of everyone's medicines, and a plan for medicines that need to stay cold. Add training. A kit you know how to use is worth more than a bigger one you do not.

This guide is general information, not medical advice. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about your own medicines.

Step 1: Make a medicine list

For each person, write:

  • Name, birth date, weight for children
  • Each medicine, its dose and how often
  • Allergies
  • Doctor and pharmacy phone numbers
  • Medical devices that need power or batteries

Put a copy in your family plan, in the kit and on each phone.

Step 2: Stock the first-aid kit

A basic home kit should hold:

  • Adhesive bandages in several sizes
  • Sterile gauze pads and roller gauze
  • Adhesive tape
  • Large absorbent dressings
  • Antiseptic wipes or ointment
  • Triangular bandage
  • Disposable gloves
  • Scissors and tweezers
  • A cold pack and an emergency blanket
  • Hand cleaner
  • Pain and fever medicine you already use safely, and any allergy medicine
  • A thermometer

This follows common American Red Cross-style kit lists. Lists vary, so compare with the Red Cross site.

For a family of four or more, choose a larger kit.

Check it every six months. Replace anything used or expired.

Step 3: Prescriptions and refills

  • Ask your doctor and pharmacy whether you can get a refill early. Rules differ by plan, so ask.
  • Refill when a storm, heat wave or other warning is forecast, not after.
  • Keep medicines in their original bottles, with labels.
  • Keep a small bag you can grab: a few days of every medicine, the list and copies of prescriptions.

Step 4: Temperature and storage

Most medicines should be stored at room temperature, away from heat, damp and sunlight. A bathroom cabinet is often too humid. Check the label.

For medicines that must stay cold, Ready.gov says that if the power is out more than a day, discard refrigerated medication unless the label says otherwise. A fridge thermometer helps you know. See food safety in a power outage.

Insulin without power

The FDA says:

  • Normally keep insulin in a refrigerator at about 36 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Vials and cartridges from the maker, opened or unopened, may be left unrefrigerated at 59 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit for up to 28 days and continue to work.
  • Keep insulin as cool as you can. If you use ice, do not freeze it. Do not use insulin that has been frozen.
  • Keep it away from direct heat and sunlight.
  • Insulin pump reservoirs have shorter limits, often about 48 hours unless the label says otherwise.

Do not switch brands of insulin without a doctor if you can avoid it. The FDA page has guidance for emergency switching.

A portable power station can keep a small fridge running for cold medicines.

Step 5: Bleeding control and a trauma kit

Severe bleeding can become life-threatening quickly. The program Stop the Bleed, from the American College of Surgeons, teaches ordinary people three basic actions to control severe bleeding. Use their course finder to sign up for a local class.

A trauma kit holds a tourniquet, pressure dressings and gloves. Buy a reputable one and practice with a trainer.

Call 911 first when you can, and keep pressure on the wound until help arrives.

Step 6: A pulse oximeter (optional)

A fingertip pulse oximeter shows pulse and blood oxygen. It can help you decide if breathing trouble is serious, but it can be wrong with cold fingers, dark nail polish or movement, and it does not replace a doctor.

Step 7: A guide when you cannot reach a doctor

A plain-language book helps when you cannot look things up. Where There Is No Doctor is written for places with little medical help.

You can also store WikiMed on a laptop; see offline Wikipedia and AI.

Step 8: Take a course

The American Red Cross offers first aid, CPR and AED courses in person and online. Book one for adults in the home, and teach older children how to call 911.

Next steps

Questions

How long can insulin be kept without a fridge?

The FDA says insulin in vials or cartridges, opened or unopened, can be left unrefrigerated at 59 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit for up to 28 days and still work. Keep it as cool as possible, out of sunlight, and never use insulin that has been frozen. Pumps and some products differ, so follow the label.

How much medicine should I stock?

Ask your doctor and pharmacist. Many people aim for a week or more at hand, and a refill before a storm. Insurance rules vary. Never stockpile controlled medicines in a way your doctor has not approved.

What if the power is out for more than a day?

Ready.gov says if the power is out more than a day, discard refrigerated medication unless the label says it is safe. Ask your pharmacist about any medicine you are unsure about.

Do I need a pulse oximeter?

It is optional. It can show oxygen level and pulse, which can help in deciding whether to seek help for breathing trouble, but it is not a diagnosis. Call 911 for severe breathing trouble.

Sources

  1. Information Regarding Insulin Storage and Switching Between Products in an Emergency, FDA
  2. Power Outages, Ready.gov
  3. Make a Plan, Ready.gov
  4. STOP THE BLEED, American College of Surgeons

This guide is general information, not medical, legal or electrical advice. In an emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number.