Press Release
Carrying the Torch: How Andrew Bartnikowski Turned One Man’s Legacy into a Lifeline for Columbus Fire Families
Ohio, USA, 21st August 2025, ZEX PR WIRE, In the fire service, leadership is not measured by rank alone. It is measured by how far you are willing to go for your brothers and sisters in uniform, both in the heat of an emergency and long after the sirens fade. For Andrew Bartnikowski, a veteran firefighter, paramedic, and community leader, that standard has shaped every step of his 20-year career.
Since 2012, Bartnikowski has served with the City of Columbus Division of Fire, answering more than 10,000 emergency calls with the precision, composure, and decisiveness that have earned him a reputation as both a skilled responder and a trusted leader. His career also spans tenures in Worthington, OH, and Bluffton Township, SC, bringing with him a wealth of experience in emergency response, financial planning, program management, and professional training.
But it is his work beyond the fireground that has left perhaps the most enduring mark, most notably, his founding of the Class 12/10/12 Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit born from tragedy, driven by camaraderie, and sustained by compassion.
The foundation’s roots trace back to 2012, when Firefighter Brandin O’Keefe, Bartnikowski’s academy classmate, was diagnosed with melanoma while still in training. Despite his diagnosis, O’Keefe fought through the academy with unmatched determination. “There was nobody tougher than Brandin,” Bartnikowski recalls. “He wrapped his legs every day, pushed through the pain, and never once complained. He was determined to make it through, and he did.”
When O’Keefe later passed away, Bartnikowski and fellow classmates organized a small golf outing to support his wife, Karen, and their children, Abigail and Evan. That first gathering was modest, raising funds for groceries, Christmas presents, and other essentials, but its impact sparked something far greater.
Over the next 11 years, the golf outing evolved into a major annual event, raising over $150,000 to support firefighter families facing injury, line of duty death, or suicide. This year’s Brandin O’Keefe Memorial Golf Outing, held September 25 at Cumberland Trail Golf Club, generated $10,500 for the foundation and its partner, the Save A Warrior Foundation, which supports veterans and first responders struggling with PTSD.
From its inception, Bartnikowski’s vision for the foundation was clear: honor Brandin’s spirit by making sure no member of the Columbus Fire Division family faces hardship alone. His leadership has extended beyond fundraising, building community partnerships, creating sustainable support systems, and ensuring that the foundation responds quickly and effectively to those in need.
As Lead Paramedic, instructor, and mentor, Bartnikowski’s service ethos permeates every aspect of his professional life. He has trained recruits in live fire scenarios, coordinated large-scale preparedness drills, and streamlined operational processes, including cutting patient care report time by 20%. He has represented firefighters as a union steward, helped negotiate a $300M labor contract, and advised on safety and EMS policy changes.
The golf outing is, in many ways, an extension of that same leadership, strategic, collaborative, and driven by results. This year also marked a symbolic transition, as Bartnikowski and the original organizing committee passed the torch to Firefighters Joshua Cumston and Tom Covert. “It is bittersweet,” Bartnikowski admits. “This event has been part of my life for over a decade. But it is also exciting to see the next generation step up. That is what Brandin would have wanted, his legacy carried forward, year after year.”
The impact of the event is deeply personal for Brandin’s family. His brother, Danny O’Keefe, participated again this year and reflected on its significance. “Brandin was the oldest and someone I looked up to my whole life. Even though his time at the firehouse was short, the mark he left on his classmates and the fire service was huge. The fact that this event still exists 11 years later means everything, especially now that his kids are becoming young adults.”
Bartnikowski’s ability to turn one man’s fight into a movement is a case study in how leadership works in the fire service. It is not about personal recognition, it is about building something that lasts, something that keeps people connected and supported long after the immediate crisis is over.
Opinion: In a world where memorials often fade and good intentions lose momentum, the endurance of the Brandin O’Keefe Memorial Golf Outing proves what is possible when commitment meets community. Bartnikowski could have helped once, then moved on. Instead, he built a platform that has outlived its founders, outgrown its original scope, and outperformed expectations every single year. That is not just event planning, it is legacy building.
The foundation does not just hand out checks. It stands as a living promise that in the Columbus Fire Division, no one stands alone in hardship. It has supported families navigating sudden medical crises, assisted children coping with loss, and contributed to mental health programs for those silently struggling. The partnership with Save A Warrior is a natural fit, addressing the urgent and often hidden mental health needs of firefighters and veterans alike.
As for Bartnikowski, his work with the foundation reflects the same qualities he has shown in every role he has held, whether leading a medical scene, instructing the next generation, or negotiating for firefighter safety and benefits: focus, persistence, and a refusal to settle for “good enough.”
A graduate of The Ohio State University with a BS in Resource Management, Bartnikowski holds certifications in Paramedicine, Fire Instruction, HAZMAT, Rope Rescue, and more. His diverse background in skilled trades, financial services, and emergency response has given him the ability to approach challenges from multiple angles, a skill that has proven invaluable in both the field and the foundation.
As the sun set on this year’s outing, the final tally was more than just $10,500. It was another chapter written in a story of resilience, brotherhood, and lasting impact. Bartnikowski may have passed the operational reins to Cumston and Covert, but his fingerprints are all over the event’s DNA. His vision ensured that the foundation was not dependent on any one person, it was built to last.
And that is the ultimate measure of a leader, not just how they respond when the alarm sounds, but how they inspire others to keep answering the call, year after year, for a cause worth fighting for.
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Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Digi Observer journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.
Press Release
CGTN: 60 years on, how China’s Xizang achieves all-round progress in development, prosperity
On the 60th anniversary of the founding of China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, CGTN published an article highlighting the region’s remarkable social and economic progress over the past six decades. The article emphasizes that Xizang, under President Xi Jinping’s leadership, has experienced unprecedented development and significant changes, with people enjoying increasingly tangible benefits.
A grand gathering to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of China’s Xizang Autonomous Region was held at the Potala Palace square in Lhasa on Thursday morning. Chinese President Xi Jinping joined around 20,000 local officials and people from all ethnic groups and all walks of life in the celebration.
Dressed in festive attire, crowds waved red flags and flower bouquets, extending a warm welcome to President Xi, who was also presented with a hada – a scarf-like white silk used by people in Xizang to show respect and blessings.
In a historic first for both the Party and the country, Xi led a central delegation to attend events marking the anniversary of the founding of the Xizang Autonomous Region as general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission.
Hearing work reports from the CPC Xizang regional committee and the regional government on Wednesday, Xi urged efforts to build a modern socialist new Xizang that is united, prosperous, civilized, harmonious and beautiful, calling on the region to advance high-quality development and continue to make solid efforts on the four main tasks of ensuring stability, facilitating development, protecting the eco-environment and strengthening the borders.
Profound changes
Kala Village of Xizang’s Nyingchi City was once an impoverished and isolated village, where logging, herding and growing highland barley were the main means of livelihood for the villagers.
The turning point came in 2015 when a paired assistance team from Guangdong Province, tasked with aiding Xizang, took full advantage of the village’s cultural and tourism resources, identifying tourism featuring peach blossom as the breakthrough point to accelerate the village’s development.
In 1998, villagers earned 2,000 yuan (around $276) from tourism, while in 2024, Kala Village welcomed over 110,000 visitors savoring the peach blossoms, with tourism revenue topping 3.7 million yuan. From relying solely on its natural resources to developing a thriving “peach blossom economy,” Kala Village’s vibrant practice of rural revitalization has made it a microcosm of Xizang’s broader progress.
Since 2012, Xi has elevated Xizang’s strategic position to a new level, and presided over two central symposiums on work in Xizang, defining guiding principles, objectives and tasks in the new era. To date, Xizang has experienced a period of unprecedented development and momentous change, with people enjoying more and more tangible benefits. It showcases the remarkable success of China’s system of regional ethnic autonomy.
Figures highlight Xizang’s historic progress in economic and social development. The region’s GDP hit 276.5 billion yuan in 2024, 154 times that of 1965, reaching an average annual growth rate of 8.9 percent. The per capita disposable income of urban and rural residents increased from 456 yuan and 108 yuan respectively in 1965 to 55,444 yuan and 21,578 yuan in 2024.
Notably, the region has eliminated millennia-old absolute poverty and realized a moderately prosperous society in all respects alongside the rest of the nation. The transformation of people’s daily lives is evident – moving from buckets of water, oil lamps and dirt paths to running tap water, electric lights and paved roads. Xizang residents now have access to services such as the internet, rail and air travel.
Governing Xizang, ensuring its stability and promoting its prosperity must begin with maintaining political and social stability, ethnic unity and amity among different religions, Xi pointed out during Wednesday’s meeting.
Building a modern socialist new Xizang
In addition to the peach blossom economy, Kala Village has also diversified its income sources through ways such as the introduction of fruit-picking gardens and organized planting and breeding projects, forging a path to prosperity that achieves a win-win result between ecological conservation and economic development.
How to promote Xizang’s high-quality development? Xi pinpointed during Wednesday’s meeting: “Xizang needs to develop competitive plateau industries based on local conditions, with a particular focus on industries of agriculture and animal husbandry with local features, as well as the clean energy sector.”
In recent years, the region has continued to enhance its distinctive and advantageous industries such as cultural tourism, agriculture and animal husbandry, digital technology and Tibetan medicine, and accelerated the cultivation of emerging industries such as plateau light industry.
Green development is also a benefit to people’s livelihood. The region has always prioritized eco-environmental conservation and has become one of the world’s healthiest eco-environment regions.
In Wednesday’s meeting, Xi called on the region to promote ecological conservation, and to make coordinated efforts to cut carbon emissions, reduce pollution, expand green development and pursue economic growth, so as to protect “the roof of the world” and “the water tower of Asia.”
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Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Digi Observer journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.
Press Release
Resolute Dynamics Expands Cross-Border Fleet Safety Innovation with Launch of Unified Speed Limiter Suite for US and Canada
Resolute Dynamics introduces a unified, regulation-compliant speed limiter solution to improve fleet safety across North America.
Resolute Dynamics, a leading provider of vehicle speed governance technology, announced the launch of its Unified Speed Limiter Suite, purpose-built to support both U.S. and Canadian commercial transportation markets. This milestone reflects the company’s commitment to advancing cross-border road safety and regulatory compliance for commercial fleets.
The suite introduces a robust, adaptable speed limiter solution designed to meet the growing demand for speed governance in commercial vehicles. It offers full alignment with Canada’s upcoming CMVSS 141 speed limiter mandate, as well as emerging U.S. regulatory proposals. With a focus on enhancing public safety, reducing liability, and supporting environmental goals, the new suite delivers dependable performance in varied driving conditions and jurisdictions.
With our Unified Speed Limiter Suite, fleet operators no longer have to choose between compliance and versatility, said a spokesperson for Resolute Dynamics.
We’ve created a cross-border solution that simplifies regulatory alignment and elevates safety standards across North America.
The system includes several innovative features:
- Multi-speed governance tailored to highway, city, and school-zone requirements
- GPS-integrated limiters enabling intelligent regional adjustments
- RPM and idle control capabilities to reduce fuel waste and emissions
- Cold-weather-ready systems for reliable performance in all climates
- Adaptive Speed Limiter- Dynamically adapt to the legal speed limit of the road you’re driving on
Resolute Dynamics has tailored its technology to serve the unique needs of both the U.S. and Canadian commercial fleet sectors. From urban delivery vehicles in Toronto to long-haul freight carriers in the Midwest and Western Canada, the system is built for adaptability and reliability.
The company has also invested in a nationwide installation and training network, providing on-site support and compliance assistance to clients across both countries. This initiative ensures that transportation companies can seamlessly integrate the new suite into their operations with minimal disruption.
The launch arrives at a critical time for North American transportation providers, with regulators increasingly prioritizing speed control as a key measure for accident prevention and fuel efficiency. Resolute Dynamics continues to support public and private sector stakeholders by offering scalable, compliant, and tested safety technologies.
More information on Resolute Dynamics’ speed limiter solutions for North America can be found at:
Media Contact
Organization: Resolute Dynamics
Contact Person: Shoaib Mohamed
Website: https://resolute-dynamics.com/
Email: Send Email
Contact Number: +971545822023
Address:Bin Bishr Building – Warehouse No:07 – 1st – Ras Al Khor Industrial Area – Ras Al Khor Industrial Area 1 – Dubai – United Arab Emirates
Country:United Arab Emirates
Release id:32705
The post Resolute Dynamics Expands Cross-Border Fleet Safety Innovation with Launch of Unified Speed Limiter Suite for US and Canada appeared first on King Newswire. This content is provided by a third-party source.. King Newswire makes no warranties or representations in connection with it. King Newswire is a press release distribution agency and does not endorse or verify the claims made in this release. If you have any complaints or copyright concerns related to this article, please contact the company listed in the ‘Media Contact’ section
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Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Digi Observer journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.
Press Release
Official Book Trailer for Anita Sumariwallas And Then Unveils a Tale of Mystery and Legacy
Captivating book trailer reveals the emotional journey of Pamela, Lady of Swendown, in this historical fiction novel
The official book trailer for ‘And Then? The Destiny of Pamela, Lady of Swendown’ by Anita Sumariwalla has just been released, drawing global attention to a moving story of resilience, love, and uncovering hidden legacies. Now available on YouTube and across digital platforms, the trailer captures the emotional arc of young Pamela, whose life is forever changed by unexpected loss, a mysterious inheritance, and the enduring power of love.
The trailer opens with a haunting glimpse of six-year-old Pamela’s life being torn apart—separated from her beloved nanny and sent to boarding school by a distant uncle. As time passes, viewers see Pamela grow into a determined young woman who gets a scholarship to Maria Montessori College. But everything changes when Andrew Prescott, the mayor of Farmington, delivers a mysterious letter containing a surprising inheritance from an unknown benefactor.
Beautifully scored and cinematically presented, the trailer offers an interesting look into the novel’s richly layered narrative. As Pamela begins to unravel the past, she is drawn into a web of secrets, betrayal, and questions about her identity. Her journey with Andrew Prescott to honor her benefactors by laying their remains to rest becomes a quest for both closure and transformation.
Anita Sumariwalla’s storytelling shines in this visual adaptation, echoing the themes of historical mystery, romantic tension, and emotional growth that define the novel. The trailer not only sets the stage for Pamela’s journey but also invites readers to ask the timeless question: Can love truly conquer all?
Anita Sumariwalla, born in the French part of Switzerland and educated across Europe and the U.S., has lived a life as rich as her fiction. From teaching languages to exhibiting paintings, Anita has long expressed creativity across many mediums. Though a storyteller all her life, she only began publishing later in her years, with earlier works including ‘Alexa-Alessadra: A Story of Love’ and ‘Memories and Impressions of Switzerland: Ten Short Stories.’.
‘And Then? The Destiny of Pamela, Lady of Swendown’ is available now on Amazon and other major online bookstores. The official trailer is available for viewing on Explora Books’ YouTube and social media platforms. For fans of historical fiction and emotionally charged storytelling, this trailer offers a compelling glimpse into Pamela’s unforgettable journey.
About Explora Books:
Explora Books is a book marketing firm located in the heart of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The company specializes in self-publishing and marketing, taking pride in its exhaustive research and creative strategies that provide wider avenues for aspiring authors to gain recognition for their works. Explora Books aims to guide authors through the complexities of self-publishing, offering convenient solutions to navigate this process. The firm fosters and redefines creativity and innovation, setting new industry standards. Explora Books is dedicated to empowering authors globally.
Media Contact
Organization: Explora Books Ltd
Contact Person: Simon Pratt
Website: https://explorabooks.com/home
Email:
spratt@explorabooks.com
Contact Number: +16043306795
Address:Jameson Offices, 838 W Hastings St w, Vancouver, BC V6C 0A6, Canada
City: Vancouver
State: British Columbia
Country:Canada
Release id:32670
The post Official Book Trailer for Anita Sumariwallas And Then Unveils a Tale of Mystery and Legacy appeared first on King Newswire. This content is provided by a third-party source.. King Newswire makes no warranties or representations in connection with it. King Newswire is a press release distribution agency and does not endorse or verify the claims made in this release. If you have any complaints or copyright concerns related to this article, please contact the company listed in the ‘Media Contact’ section
About Author
Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Digi Observer journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.
CGTN: 60 years on, how China’s Xizang achieves all-round progress in development, prosperity
Resolute Dynamics Expands Cross-Border Fleet Safety Innovation with Launch of Unified Speed Limiter Suite for US and Canada
Official Book Trailer for Anita Sumariwallas And Then Unveils a Tale of Mystery and Legacy
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