Dr. Paul Auerbach

What Should A Sports First Aid Kit Contain?

first aid kit

• First-Aid Kit Contents

• First Aid Manual or Emergency/CPR flashcards

• Safety pins

• Paramedic or EMT shears (scissors)

• Sharp-pointed surgical scissors

• Bandage scissors

• Splinter forceps (tweezers)

• Standard oral thermometer: digital, mercury, or alcohol 

• Wooden tongue depressors ("tongue blades") 

• Waterproof flashlight (such as Pelican MityLite*) or headlamp (and spare batteries)

• CPR mouth barrier or pocket mask 

• Sterile (hypoallergenic or latex) surgical gloves (at least 2 pair); if you are allergic to latex, bring nonlatex, synthetic, nonpermeable gloves; 

• Instant chemical cold pack(s)1

• Ziploc* bags (to hold ice for ice packs) 

• Rescue blanket

• Cell phone

• Medical release forms

• List of emergency phone numbers 

• Wound Care-Preparations and Dressings

• Elastic bandages (Band-Aid* or Coverlet*) in assorted sizes (strip, knuckle, and broad); cloth with adhesive is preferable 

• Adhesive strips for wound closure (Steri-Strip* or Cover-Strip II*), assorted sizes, reinforced [plain or impregnated with an antimicrobial] or elastic 

• 3"x 3" or 4" x 4" sterile gauze pads (packets of 2 to 5) 

• 5" x 9" or 8" x 10" sterile gauze ("trauma") pad

• Nonstick sterile bandages (Telfa*), assorted sizes

• 1", 2", 3", and 4" rolled conforming gauze  

• 1" x 10 yds (9.1 m) rolled cloth adhesive tape

•  1" x 10 yds (9.1 m) rolled paper or silk (hypoallergenic) adhesive tape 

• 1" x 10 yds (9.1 m) rolled waterproof adhesive tape

• Safe Skin by Kimberly Clark* (4 1/8 in x 3 3/8 in

• Moleskin Plus* (4 1/8 in x 3 3/8 in)  

• Spenco 2nd Skin* (1.5" x 2", 3" x 4", 3" x 6.5") and Spenco* Adhesive Knit Bandage (3" x 5") 

• Tegaderm* transparent wound dressing (also comes in combination with a Steri-Strip in a Wound Closure System)  

• Liquid soap

• Sterile disposable surgical scrub brush

• Sterile cotton-tipped swabs or applicators, 2 per package 

• Tincture of benzoin, bottle or swabsticks

• Povidone iodine 10% solution (Betadine), 1 oz bottle or swabsticks 

• Antiseptic towelettes

• Splinting and Sling Material

• Cravat cloth (triangular bandage)

• 2", 3", and 4" elastic wrap (Ace*)

• 4" x 36" SAM Splints (2)

• Aluminum finger splints

• Eye Medications and Dressings

• Prepackaged individual sterile oval eye pads

• Prepackaged eye bandages

• Metal or plastic eye shield 

• Sterile eyewash, 1 oz (30 ml)

• Contact lens remover

• Topical Skin Preparations

• Bacitracin, mupirocin, or bacitracin-neomycin polymyxin B sulphate ointment

• Insect repellent containing DEET

• Sunscreen lotion or cream (SPF 15 or 30)

• Lip balm or sunscreen

• Sunblock

• Nonprescription Medications

• Ibuprofen, 200 mg tablets

• Acetaminophen, 325 mg tablets

• Antacid

•  Decongestant (such as oxymetazoline) nasal spray (to treat a nosebleed that doesn\'t respond to simple pressure) 

• Glutose (liquid glucose) paste tube (to treat a hypoglycemic - low blood sugar - reaction

• Prescription Medications

• Metered-dose bronchodilator (albuterol) (to treat an asthma attack) 

• Space meter

• Peak-flow meter

• Allergy Kit

• EpiPen Auto-Injector [0.3 mg] and EpiPen Jr. Auto-Injector [0.15 mg]) or allergy kit with injectable epinephrine (Ana-Kit)  

• Diphenhydramine (Benadryl), 25 mg capsules

• Other

• Other equipment and supplies may be available at the venue, but are not usually transported with a youth athletic team, unless there are special circumstances. These include such items as large splints to accommodate major fractures (such as of the thigh), stretcher, and AED (automated external defibrillator).