https://mike-dawson.com/Practical prepping for ordinary homes, built on lessons the army learned the hard way: water, food storage, fuel, field medicine and the gear worth buying.en-UShttps://mike-dawson.com/tractor-supply-prepping-items/https://mike-dawson.com/tractor-supply-prepping-items/Tue, 03 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Supply RunsNine farm-store buys that work for prepping: canning lids, steel cans, pine pellets, a lantern, propane refills, a stock tank, vet wrap, iodine and a syringe.https://mike-dawson.com/army-surplus-store-what-to-buy/https://mike-dawson.com/army-surplus-store-what-to-buy/Tue, 03 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Supply RunsWhat to buy at an army surplus store: 11 boring items veterans pick, from wool socks to tourniquets, plus how to judge used gear and what to skip.https://mike-dawson.com/what-sells-out-first-in-an-emergency/https://mike-dawson.com/what-sells-out-first-in-an-emergency/Tue, 03 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Supply RunsWhat sells out first in an emergency: bread, ice, D batteries, gas cans, formula and water. See 13 panic buys and the smarter, cheaper grab for each one.https://mike-dawson.com/propane-exchange-vs-refill/https://mike-dawson.com/propane-exchange-vs-refill/Tue, 03 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Power, Light & FuelSwap tanks hold about 15 lb of propane in a 20 lb cylinder. Here is what that costs you, when a refill wins, and how to store propane for emergencies.https://mike-dawson.com/how-to-clean-a-wound/https://mike-dawson.com/how-to-clean-a-wound/Tue, 03 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Field MedicineHow to clean a wound at home: stop the bleeding, flush it with clean water and a big syringe, use iodine on the skin only, and know when to see a doctor.https://mike-dawson.com/trench-foot-prevention/https://mike-dawson.com/trench-foot-prevention/Tue, 03 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Field HygieneHow to prevent trench foot: what causes it, early symptoms, the daily sock routine soldiers use, wool vs cotton, and what to do for wet feet at home.https://mike-dawson.com/iodine-vs-chlorine-water-purification/https://mike-dawson.com/iodine-vs-chlorine-water-purification/Tue, 03 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000WaterIodine vs chlorine water purification: the EPA bleach dose per gallon, when iodine tablets make sense, what chlorine dioxide adds, what none of them remove.https://mike-dawson.com/rodent-proof-food-storage/https://mike-dawson.com/rodent-proof-food-storage/Tue, 03 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Food StorageMice and rats chew through paper, bags and plastic. A galvanized steel can with a tight lid stops them. Here is how to set one up and clean up safely.https://mike-dawson.com/how-to-spot-a-fake-tourniquet/https://mike-dawson.com/how-to-spot-a-fake-tourniquet/Tue, 03 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Field MedicineFake CAT tourniquets can snap when you need them. Here is how to spot a fake tourniquet, the red flags, where to buy a real one, and how to store it.https://mike-dawson.com/kerosene-lantern-safety/https://mike-dawson.com/kerosene-lantern-safety/Tue, 03 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Power, Light & FuelAre kerosene lanterns safe indoors? What the fire agencies say, how to use a hurricane lantern with care, and safer blackout lights that beat candles.https://mike-dawson.com/stock-tank-water-storage/https://mike-dawson.com/stock-tank-water-storage/Tue, 03 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000WaterA 100-gallon stock tank holds about 835 lb of water, enough for four people for roughly 25 days. Here is how to fill, cover, treat and place it safely.https://mike-dawson.com/permethrin-clothing-treatment/https://mike-dawson.com/permethrin-clothing-treatment/Tue, 03 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Field HygieneHow to treat clothes with permethrin for ticks and mosquitoes: step-by-step spraying, drying time, how long it lasts, what never to spray, and cat safety.https://mike-dawson.com/how-to-store-gasoline/https://mike-dawson.com/how-to-store-gasoline/Tue, 03 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Power, Light & FuelHow to store gasoline long term: approved cans, stabilizer, a safe place to keep them, how long gas lasts, and how to fill and pour without spills or fires.https://mike-dawson.com/can-you-reuse-canning-lids/https://mike-dawson.com/can-you-reuse-canning-lids/Tue, 03 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Food StorageFlat canning lids seal once. Here is what you can still do with a used lid, how to spot fakes, how long lids keep, and when reusable lids make sense.https://mike-dawson.com/israeli-bandage-how-to-use/https://mike-dawson.com/israeli-bandage-how-to-use/Tue, 03 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000Field MedicineHow to use an Israeli bandage step by step: which size to buy, when to pack a wound with gauze first, when a tourniquet is better, and how to store it.