How America Works Episodes (25)
Sewers
A team of sewer technicians work out of sight to keep the guts of our great nation flowing as they should. But in the wake of a storm, with another on the way, they're racing to clean up the aftermath before more rainfall floods their whole system.
Salt
Salt workers brave a barren landscape to bring this all-important mineral to the American public. But with a cold front sweeping the northern states - and icy roads in need of salt - they're racing to harvest and send off as much product as possible.
Steel
A crew of steel workers labor around the clock to forge the bones of our nation's roadways, buildings, bridges and beyond. But with record highs in steel demand, they're doubling their efforts to reclaim, smelt and ship more product than ever.
Law Enforcement
Cameras follow the men and women of the Wilmington Police Department as they struggle to keep a lid on crime during the busy holiday season.
Beef
Cowboys and girls at Bergen Ranch work double-time to keep their operation running during their busiest of days... Branding day.
Corn
With this year's Super Bowl just around the corner, corn processors are working overtime to create the raw product from which our country's mainstay snacks are made.
Aluminum
Aluminum has never been in higher demand, forcing the employees at Logan Aluminum to work 24/7 to smelt recycled cans into one of America's most preeminent metals.
Textiles
Fabric makers at the American Woolen Company race to fill a last-minute order of the commodity that clothes our country.
Heavy Machinery
Building the machines that build America is no small feat, especially for a PA plant that's trying to churn out 10 brand new wheel loaders in time for construction season.
Navy
In 2022, the U.S. Navy will need more than a dozen new pilots to meet their deployment demands. And it's up to the USS George H.W. Bush to get them ready. Follow as we reveal how they're trained aboard one of America's most massive ships.
Sugar
An unseasonable frost has decimated the crops of one of our largest sugar manufacturers. Leaving them with just a single day to harvest, mill, and refine 2,000 tons of product.
Brick
The literal foundation of our society, bricks are as important to life as we know it as they've ever been. And despite an overwhelming stack of backorders, one company still makes them by hand.
Paper
From raw lumber to finished rolls, cameras follow as our leading paper producers race to keep the nation well supplied with this all-important product.
Cargo
In the wake of COVID-19, supply shortages are more rampant than ever. But at Watco's port in Houston, TX, workers are moving record amounts of cargo in an effort to catch up with demand.
Firefighting
Cameras follow the firefighters of Grayback Forestry as they work to keep a lid on western wildfires. But even a prescribed burn comes with no small amount of challenges... or danger.
Concrete
As the second most used resource behind water, the importance of concrete can't be understated. And with demand for it reaching all-time highs, the workers of GCC simply can't make it fast enough.
Army
Join the men and women of Ft. Carson as they conduct a training exercise like none before. But to pull it off, they'll need to win a simulated battle complete with apache helicopters and ground artillery.
Pipelines
Pipelines are the circulatory system of these United States. And with housing booms popping up across the country, crews like the one in Western Alabama are racing to get new ones underground.
Lumber
A team of modern-day lumberjacks take to the forests of coastal Alaska to harvest the cornerstone commodity that frames our lives. But with a last-minute order to fill, they're working overtime to cut, haul and ship out a record amount of lumber.
Oil
A team of roughnecks show what it takes to bring the lifeblood of modern society out of the ground and into our everyday existence. But harvesting their latest haul of oil will hinge on a new $100,000 well that'll make or break their small company.
Waste
A crew of waste management workers bring cameras along for a day in the life of taking out our trash. But with a staff shortage upon them and the same tight deadlines as ever - keeping America's streets clean today will be a taller than usual order.
Electricity
The employees of the Hoover Dam work day in and day out to bring electricity to the masses. But when a heatwave hits in the middle of maintenance season, the race is on to get all seventeen generators online before the demand for power skyrockets.
Fish
The men and women aboard a massive fishing boat toil 24/7 to harvest America's sustenance from the sea. But after coming up short on their last trip, the pressure is on to fill their quota this time out and get the whole operation back in the black.
Entertainment
The hard-working men and women of America's entertainment industry are ramping up for the post-COVID masses. And at Circus Circus Casino in Las Vegas, that means bringing all operations back to 100% capacity for the first time in over a year.
Airports
It takes a small army of airport workers to keep Americans and their cargo moving about the country. And on the Sunday after Thanksgiving - the busiest day of their year - they're all working overtime to keep passengers and parcels alike in transit.