First Aid is a great merit badge for new scouts to start with, and a life skill that will serve scouts well into adulthood. In fact, 100% of our high-school aged scouts have this Merit Badge,
Many local organizations offer First Aid Merit Badge workshops periodically throughout the year including Evanston Recreation, the APO sorority at Northwestern University, Rolling Meadows Park District, and others. Troop 28 also has an in-house Merit Badge Counselor who will work with you to earn your First Aid Merit Badge. And First Aid can also be taken at most Boy Scout resident camps like Ma-ka-ja-wan Scout Reservation, so there's no excuse not to “Be Prepared!”
Below are some resources to help you work on the First Aid rank advancement and merit badge requirements in any of these settings.
First Aid Merit Badge Resources
You can purchase a copy of the Merit Badge Pamphlet from ScoutStuff.org or from the NEIC store. If you do not wish to purchase a copy, you can read most of the information online by downloading a copy of the 2010 printing of the pamphlet. Many scouts keep their First Aid pamphlets in their home first aid kits as a handy reference.
You can download a copy of the First Aid Merit Badge Workbook – including the First Aid rank requirements for Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class – from USscouts.org.
First Aid Kit Resources
If your Scout does not have a Personal First Aid Kit (required for Tenderfoot Rank) you are encouraged to purchase/assemble one on your own based on items you have available at home. However, if you do not have much available, purchasing a kit is generally more economical and is BSA-acceptable. There are two suggested kits on Amazon that are $10-12 apiece (one with a semi-hard clamshell case, one with a lightweight but less durable nylon case) that cover the vast majority of required items. Alternatively, you can assemble your own in any container (even a ziploc bag).
- semi-hard clamshell case; BYO moleskin, optional antibiotic ointment and hydrocortisone cream, soap/sanitizer gel and pencil/pen and notebook
- nylon bag; no gloves
The troop has some CPR barriers, moleskin, burn gel, and other items available to help complete your kits. We ask you to provide your own soap/sanitizer gel, pen/pencil and pad, if possible.
If your Scout does not have a Home/Patrol First Aid Kit (required Merit Badge), you are welcome to purchase/scrounge/assemble one on your own based on items you have available at home. You are allowed to cannibalize the personal kit to build your home/patrol kit, but scouts have often found it handy to actually bring their personal kits with them, and those kits will be more useful if complete. The troop provides first aid kits for troop and patrol outings, so you can use any container/bag that suits your family (including a large ziploc or shoebox).
If you do not have many supplies available, purchasing a “starter” kit is generally more economical and is BSA-acceptable. You can purchase a good kit from Amazon, for $25-28. This comes with a pretty roomy and well-organized canvas carrying case and a makes a decent dent into the required items, but still has plenty of room for the additional items that are on the BSA recommended list. After scrounging through your supplies at home, if you need additional items, please let Linda know what you are missing and she can let you know if we have any available for purchase from troop inventory. You can create assemble a complete kit from scratch using the Amazon kit, troop resources, and locally available items for about $40-50.
