First Aid Kit Checklist for Home, Car and Workplace

A first aid course teaches you what to do; a well-stocked kit gives you the tools. Here is what our instructors recommend for different settings in the UAE.

Home

• The basics above.
• Tweezers, a digital thermometer and instant cold packs.
• Any personal medicines: reliever inhalers, spare auto-injectors, glucose tablets.
• Kept high up, out of children’s reach but known to every adult.

Car

The basics, plus extra water, a torch and a high-visibility vest. Heat degrades some items, so check the car kit more often in summer.

Office

One kit per floor, signposted, with a named person who checks it monthly. An AED in reception or on alternate floors — see office first aid.

Construction and industrial sites

Large trauma dressings, a commercial tourniquet, eye wash, burns dressings and a larger stock in every welfare cabin and vehicle — see site first aid and severe bleeding.

Checking the kit

Replace used items straight away and check expiry dates at least every few months. A kit that has been raided for plasters is no help in a real emergency.

What not to keep

Avoid stocking medicines in shared workplace kits; people should use their own.

This guide summarises first aid for the public and does not replace training or medical advice. In an emergency in the UAE call 998 for an ambulance.

More First Aid guides: Emergency-by-emergency first aid

• First Aid Course in Abu Dhabi — dates, format and booking
• Severe Bleeding First Aid: Pressure, Tourniquets and Packing
• Burns First Aid: Cool, Cover, and When a Burn Needs Hospital
• Heat Stroke vs Heat Exhaustion: First Aid for UAE Summers
• Anaphylaxis First Aid: Recognising a Severe Allergic Reaction
• Asthma Attack First Aid: Helping With a Reliever Inhaler
• Heart Attack First Aid: Warning Signs and What to Do
• Stroke First Aid: The FAST Test and Why Time Matters
• Seizure First Aid: Keep Them Safe, Time It, and When to Call 998
• Low Blood Sugar First Aid: Helping in a Diabetic Emergency
• Fainting First Aid: What to Do Before and After Someone Faints
• Fractures and Sprains First Aid: Support, Cold and When to Call
• Head Injury and Concussion First Aid: Danger Signs to Watch For
• Poisoning First Aid: Swallowed, Inhaled and Skin Exposures
• Bites and Stings First Aid: Scorpions, Snakes, Bees and Jellyfish
• Drowning First Aid: Safe Rescue, Breathing and Pool Safety
• Eye Injury First Aid: Chemicals, Dust and Objects in the Eye
• Electric Shock First Aid: Make It Safe Before You Touch
• All First Aid guides, by topic

Other life support and first aid courses: BLS Course · ACLS Course · PALS Course · Training calendar

Frequently asked questions

What should be in a basic first aid kit?

Gloves, sterile dressings, plasters, bandages, tape, scissors, wipes, cling film, a foil blanket and an emergency number card.

Should a workplace kit include a tourniquet?

Yes, where there is a risk of serious injuries such as on construction sites.

How often should a first aid kit be checked?

After every use and at least every few months.

Should workplace kits contain medicines?

Generally no; people use their own.

Where should a home kit be kept?

Out of reach of children but known to every adult.

Sources and further reading

What we teach follows the awarding body and the UAE health authorities. For the definitive position on a course or licensing question, these are the places to check.

• Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED — American Heart Association
• Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre — Abu Dhabi

Last reviewed 21 September 2026 by the training team at Safety First Medical Services, an American Heart Association training centre at Addax Office Tower, Al Reem Island, Abu Dhabi. Call +971 55 761 9841 or email training@safetyfirstmed.ae.