Kyle Jennings, a dedicated firefighter for the Kingsport Fire Department, is offering the public a
behind-the-scenes look at some of the day-to-day work, experiences and challenges in being a
first responder.

And he’s doing so by embracing his creative side and utilizing the power of social media.
Jennings – who goes by the online persona Just KJ Okay – began creating videos in November
2024 and uploading them to his YouTube channel. The videos combine first-person
commentary, clips of daily chores and quick interviews with fellow firefighters to show the
public what it’s like to be a KFD firefighter.

Jennings said the goal of the videos is to be educational, but in a fun and engaging way.
“After my wife and I got married, we lived in Texas and I was doing music, production and video
work for our church, creating weekly videos as a way to engage with our youth. But I took a
hiatus from that when I got into the fire service,” Jennings said. “When we moved to Kingsport
last year, a friend reminded me I had not explored my creative side since relocating and
suggested I film myself at work.”

As you can imagine, the videos are pretty self-explanatory and include upbeat music in the
background, unusual and interesting camera angles and high-energy commentary from
Jennings himself.

“What really happens in the firehouse” is a 14-minute video where Jennings goes through his
morning routine, from checking his firefighting equipment, to working out in the gym to
practicing ladder throws.

“Day in the life of a firefighter” is a tad shorter, only eight minutes long, and shows Jennings
cleaning the fire engine and again practicing ladder drills.
Surprisingly, that video is one of the most watched videos on Jennings’ channel, garnering more
than 7,200 views.

“Yeah, the washing the truck one did very well. I was surprised that people were interested in
me washing the fire truck,” Jennings said. “The response from the community has been good.
I’ve got a broad audience from 30-year veterans to high school kids wanting to get into the fire
service.”

In addition to YouTube, Jennings has embraced other social media platforms, like TikTok and
Instagram, to extend his reach further and to connect with a variety of audiences. Jennings has
nearly 1,400 subscribers on YouTube, 2,740 on TikTok and 800 on Instagram.

A new video typically drops every Wednesday around noon and to date, Jennings’ channel has
more than 100 videos with nearly 120,000 views.

Jennings said he has a couple of goals with the videos.

“I follow Jesus and try to use whatever I can to tell people about him. That is my main goal,”
Jennings said. “I’m also trying to merge the firefighting and non-firefighting world in a fun way,
and I’d love to make the channel where it could help me provide for my family too. That’s not
my main goal, but if it happens that would be awesome.”

To watch Jennings’ videos, visit YouTube and search for “Just KJ Okay.”