Wilderness First Aid Kit Contents

This list is intended as a resource for those who have been certified in wilderness first aid by a recognized training provider. The list isn’t necessarily
comprehensive or appropriate for your purposes. Using this list does not substitute taking a course or maintaining current certification.

Boreal River is not responsible for any loss or damages that you, your party, or your patients might suffer after you have referred to this list.

Items to carry on your body

Search and rescue
Expedition group kit - team kit or vehicle /
Group kit for front Expedition group when weight and large boat / base
Item Notes Small personal kit country day trips kit space aren’t limited support kit
Medical gloves Non-latex x x x x x
Intra-oral pocket Brand name: Numask
x x x x x
mask
Lighter x x x x x
Knife x x x x x
Food Quick calories are essential
for your personal safety and x x x x x
performance in a rescue
Watch To track: vital signs,
remaining daylight, x x x x x
submersion time, etc.
Pencil / space pen Waterproof ‘write
x x x x x
anywhere’
Waterproof paper / Our Whitewater Rescue
x x x x x
SOAP note Field Guide can work for this
Duct tape / gorilla Can wrap some around
x x x x x
tape something
Sunblock cream x x x x x
 Basic life support
Search and rescue
Expedition group kit - team kit or vehicle /
Group kit for front Expedition group when weight and large boat / base
Item Notes Small personal kit country day trips kit space aren’t limited support kit
Pocket mask x x x x x
Tourniquet CAT Combat Application
x x x x x
Tourniquet
NPA and/or OPA
x x x x x
airways
EMT shears x x x x x
WMA field guide x x x x x
Incident report
x x x x
forms
Permanent marker x x x x
Bag valve mask
x x
(BVM)
O2 cylinder,
regulator, and non- sometimes
rebreather mask
Manual suctioning
sometimes
device
AED sometimes sometimes
Tools
Search and rescue
Expedition group kit - team kit or vehicle /
Group kit for front Expedition group when weight and large boat / base
Item Notes Small personal kit country day trips kit space aren’t limited support kit
Irrigation syringe 60 CC is best x x x x x
19G needle x x x x x
Blood pressure cuff x x
Stethoscope x x
Oral thermometer x x x
Scalpel blade x x x x x
Tweezers x x x x x
Safety pins x x x x
Nail brush x x x x
Tooth brush (sterile) In package x x x x x
Magnifying glass x x x x x
This list is intended as a resource for those who have been certified in wilderness first aid by a recognized training provider. The list isn’t necessarily comprehensive or appropriate for your
purposes. Using this list does not substitute taking a course or maintaining current certification. Boreal River is not responsible for any loss or damages that you, your party, or your patients might
suffer after you have referred to this list.
 Medications
Expedition
group kit - when Search and rescue
Group kit for weight and team kit or vehicle
front country day Expedition group space aren’t / large boat / base
Item Notes Small personal kit trips kit limited support kit
Epinephrine 3 doses , auto-injct. or needle/syringe x x x x x
Antihistamine Recommended: Cetirizine (Reactine) x x x x x
Predinisone1 With authorization from physician
x x x
advisor
Albuterol / Salbutimol Only when pre-trip screening isn’t
x x x x
inhaler1 possible
ASA Can be life saving for heart attack x x x x x
Icing sugar or instant
x x x x
glucose
Ibuprofen2 Depending on program policies for
x x x x x
administering OTC meds
Acetaminophen2 Depending on program policies for
x x x x x
administering OTC meds
Loperamide2 x x x
Pepto-bismol2 Chewable x x x
Antifungal topical cream2 x x x
Oil of clove or Oragel2 x x x
Dental wax x x x
Eye antibiotic drops2 x x x
Ear antibiotic drops2 x x x
Cold/flu/sinus meds2 Day and night x x x
Yeast infection meds2 Kit with topical and oral x x x
Neo-citron2 x x x
Antibiotic – for infected
and high-risk wounds1
Antibiotic – for UTI and GI
x x x
infections1
Prescription analgesic1 Example Tylenol w/codein x x x x x
Topical antibiotic OTC: Polysporin
x x x x x
ointment or cream2 Best: Fucidin1
1With authorization and consultation from a physician advisor
2 Depending on program policies for administering OTC meds

This list is intended as a resource for those who have been certified in wilderness first aid by a recognized training provider. The list isn’t necessarily comprehensive or appropriate for your
purposes. Using this list does not substitute taking a course or maintaining current certification. Boreal River is not responsible for any loss or damages that you, your party, or your patients might
suffer after you have referred to this list.
 Wounds
Expedition
group kit - when Search and rescue
Group kit for weight and team kit or vehicle
front country day Expedition group space aren’t / large boat / base
Item Notes Small personal kit trips kit limited support kit
10% povidone iodine In small leak-proof container
x x x x x
solution
Sterile gauze pads 2”x2” or 4”x4” x x x x x
Non-stick gauze pads Example: Telfa x x x x x
Q-tips x x x x x
Steri-strips x x x x x
Band aids x x x x
Knuckle band-aids x x x x
Large rectangular band
x x x x
aids
Tegaderm Waterproof, breathable, transparent
x x x x x
‘window’ dressings
White tape x x x x x
1” vet wrap (self adherent Example: Coban
x x x x
wrap)
Burn dressings x x x
Consider: other fancy
dressings
Elastic rolls x x x x
3” vet wrap (self adherent
x x x x x
wrap)
Triangular bandages x x x x
Gauze rolls x x x x
Abdominal gauze pad Giant dressing x x x x
Consider: commercial
tourniquet
Consider: commercial
pressure dressing
Sam splint x x

This list is intended as a resource for those who have been certified in wilderness first aid by a recognized training provider. The list isn’t necessarily comprehensive or appropriate for your
purposes. Using this list does not substitute taking a course or maintaining current certification. Boreal River is not responsible for any loss or damages that you, your party, or your patients might
suffer after you have referred to this list.
 Miscellaneous
Expedition
group kit - when Search and rescue
Group kit for weight and team kit or vehicle
front country day Expedition group space aren’t / large boat / base
Item Notes Small personal kit trips kit limited support kit
Menstrual pads and
x x x x
tampons
Duct tape x x x x x
Lighter / matches x x x x x
Flashlight / headlamp x x x x x
Glowsticks x x x x
Bug headnet x x x x
P-cord x x x x x
Zip ties x x x x x
Safety glasses / spare
x x x x
sunglasses
Garbage bags x x x x
Flagging tape x x x x
Water purification tablets x x x x x
Bug repellent Cream in leak-proof container x x x x x

This list is intended as a resource for those who have been certified in wilderness first aid by a recognized training provider. The list isn’t necessarily comprehensive or appropriate for your
purposes. Using this list does not substitute taking a course or maintaining current certification. Boreal River is not responsible for any loss or damages that you, your party, or your patients might
suffer after you have referred to this list.
 Rescue / extrication / packaging
Search and rescue
Expedition group kit - team kit or vehicle /
Group kit for front Expedition group when weight and large boat / base
Item Notes Small personal kit country day trips kit space aren’t limited support kit
Commercial litter Sometimes x
Vacuum mattress Sometimes If you have the $
Chain saw
Sometimes Sometimes

Tarp3 For shelter, pt.

packaging, improvised Or ‘rescue blanket’ x3 x± x4 x
litters
Fleece blanket3 Synthetic x3 x x x
Sleeping bag 3 x 4 x 4 x
Extra rope and rigging Depends on type of trip
gear and terrain
Communications device Sometimes x x x x
Emergency contact list
Sometimes x x x x
and safety plan
Maps / compass / GPS Sometimes Sometimes x x x
Lightweight inflatable
camping mattress or Sometimes x3 x4 x4 x
insulate pad
Folding saw, machete,
Sometimes x3 x4 x4
axe
Repair kit Sometimes Sometimes x x x
Extra food and fishing
Sometimes Sometimes x4 x4 x
tackle
Extra clothing layers x3 x4 x4 x
3On day trips, these items sometimes go together in a ‘hypo wrap’ kit or can be spread out amongst the group. The point is, having items to help package or move a

patient and keep them warm can be more beneficial than any piece of medical equipment or medication. On expeditions you usually have these things anyways—but
they often get forgotten on day trips and can be life-savers.
4These items are usually part of your camping gear on an expedition but you might consider keeping some of these items ultra-accessible so that you can get to them

quickly in an emergency.

This list is intended as a resource for those who have been certified in wilderness first aid by a recognized training provider. The list isn’t necessarily comprehensive or appropriate for your
purposes. Using this list does not substitute taking a course or maintaining current certification. Boreal River is not responsible for any loss or damages that you, your party, or your patients might
suffer after you have referred to this list.