Sunapee fire department plans memorial for retired assistant chief Dana Ramspott

Sunapee’s fire department will pause its normal routine to honor retired Assistant Chief Dana Ramspott, a lifelong resident whose more than 41 years of service helped shape the town’s fire culture, emergency response, and mentoring tradition. The memorial service is set for Saturday, June 20, at 1 p.m. at the Sunapee Safety Services Building on Sargent Road, and the department said it will operate with minimal staffing so members can attend. Backup coverage for the town will come from the Warner Fire Department and the Washington Fire Department, with the service expected to end around 3 p.m.

Ramspott, born March 29, 1964, died June 2, 2026, at his beloved R Farm. He graduated from Sunapee Middle High School with the class of 1982 and later attended the University of New Hampshire, where he was a member of Alpha Gamma Rho. The department described him as a firefighter, officer, mentor, teacher and leader, roles that left his mark on generations of Sunapee responders. In 2023, the department also recognized him for 20 consecutive years as a nationally certified EMS provider, a milestone that underscored how long his name had been tied to both fire and medical service in town.

Town records show Ramspott remained part of Sunapee’s public safety life into this year. March 2026 Firewards minutes listed him as an applicant with experience and called him a great candidate, and the April 2 roster identified him as Fmr Asst Chief Dana Ramspott. That continuity helps explain why the memorial is drawing attention well beyond the department itself: for many in Sunapee, Ramspott was not just a former officer, but a steady presence in the day-to-day work of keeping the town safe.

The memorial notice also reflects the scale of the turnout expected. Parking will be available at the Safety Services Building, the Highway Department, St. Joachim Mission Church, Veterans Field, Sherburne Gym, Sunapee Elementary School, along Route 11 and at Sunapee Middle High School. A shuttle bus will run from several of those lots, and attendees are asked not to park at Abbott Library so the library can remain open. Public safety personnel are being asked to wear Class A uniforms or equivalent dress uniforms.

Obituary notices said a private burial will be held later, and memorial donations may be made to the Sunapee Fire Department Association, the Sunapee Police Benevolent Association or King Solomons Lodge #14. For Sunapee, the service will be both a farewell and a public accounting of a career that helped define how the town responds when neighbors need help most.