# Assemble first-aid kit

Part of the Tenderfoot guide: [Introduction & Overview](https://scouting.university/scouts-bsa/ranks/tenderfoot/guide/index.md)

*4. First Aid and Nature*

> **4d.** Assemble a personal first-aid kit to carry with you on future campouts and hikes. Tell how each item in the kit would be used.

A first-aid kit only helps if it matches the injuries you're actually likely to face — which is exactly what requirements 4a and 4b just covered. Building your own kit, instead of grabbing a generic one off a shelf, is what makes this requirement stick.

**Personal First-Aid Kit** — A starting point — build yours to match your own trips

- [ ] Adhesive bandages, several sizes: for cuts and scrapes.
- [ ] Sterile gauze pads and adhesive tape: for larger wounds.
- [ ] Moleskin or blister pads: for hot spots before they become blisters.
- [ ] Antiseptic wipes or antibiotic ointment: to clean wounds before covering them.
- [ ] Tweezers: for splinters and ticks.
- [ ] Disposable gloves: to protect both you and the person you're treating.
- [ ] Any personal medication you or a buddy might need, labeled clearly.
- [ ] A small first-aid reference card or folded instruction sheet.

## Tell How You'd Use Each Item

The requirement doesn't just ask you to pack a kit — it asks you to explain each item's purpose. Go through your kit item by item and connect it back to a specific injury from requirement 4a: which item treats a blister, which one you'd reach for on a nosebleed, and so on.

> **Tip**
>
> Keep your kit in a small, waterproof pouch or bag, and check it before every trip — replace anything you've used and swap out anything that's expired.

Size your kit to fit in your pack without adding much weight. A first-aid kit that's too bulky to carry ends up left at home — which defeats the purpose.

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- Previous: [Prevent outdoor injuries](https://scouting.university/scouts-bsa/ranks/tenderfoot/guide/req4c/index.md)
- Next: [Use buddy system](https://scouting.university/scouts-bsa/ranks/tenderfoot/guide/req5a/index.md)