Sunapee Fire Department Association

10/29/2026

On Thursday, October 29, 2026, at 12:15 PM, the Sunapee Fire Department was dispatched to a residence on Upper Bay Road for a reported oil spill in Lake Sunapee.

Sunapee Fire units arrived on scene at 12:22 PM and discovered a large spill extending along the shoreline in front of multiple residences. Crews quickly assembled additional manpower, launched Boat 2, and began deploying containment booms to prevent the spill from spreading further.

Initial observations suggest the substance may be an oil similar to hydraulic oil; however, the exact substance remains under investigation.

At 2:29 PM, Sunapee Fire successfully contained the spill. The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NH DES) responded to assist with initial containment efforts and the investigation. Sunapee Fire was also assisted by the Newbury Fire Department, which provided additional manpower, and the Sunapee Police Department’s drone unit.

During the ongoing spill response, Sunapee Fire personnel, alongside New London Hospital EMS, also responded to two separate serious medical emergencies within town. Despite multiple simultaneous incidents, crews continued working to contain the spill while ensuring emergency medical services were provided to those in need.

All units cleared the spill scene at 3:05 PM.

At this time, containment booms (pictured) will remain in place. Members of Sunapee Fire and NH DES will continue monitoring the area over the coming days and conducting additional cleanup efforts as needed. We ask that residents and boaters please DO NOT move, remove, or alter the containment booms.

IMPORTANT REMINDER: This incident was reported to the Fire Department by the Lake Sunapee Protective Association (LSPA) after they received multiple reports of the spill. We remind everyone that if you observe a suspected oil or hazardous material spill, please call 911 immediately so emergency personnel can respond without delay. Early notification is critical to containing spills quickly and minimizing environmental impacts.

We would like to thank Newbury Fire, Sunapee Police, NH DES, and LSPA for their assistance and cooperation throughout this incident.

10/28/2026

🚒🚑 Happy National First Responders Day! 🚨

Today, October 28th, we recognize and thank the dedicated members of the Sunapee Fire Department who answer the call whenever our community needs them.

Our members dedicate countless hours to responding to emergencies, attending training, and serving the residents and visitors of Sunapee. Whether it’s day or night, weekends or holidays, our members are always ready to step up and serve.

We are incredibly proud of our firefighters and EMS personnel for their hard work, dedication, and commitment to protecting our community.

We also extend our appreciation to all of our fellow first responders who we have the privilege of working alongside every day!

Thank you for everything you do! ❤️🚒🚑

10/10/2026

🔥🐻 New Fire Danger Sign on Route 11! 🐻🔥

If you've driven down Route 11 lately, you may have noticed Smokey has a new home! The Sunapee Fire Department Association purchased and installed a brand-new fire danger sign, at no cost to Sunapee taxpayers.

The new sign replaces the original, which was installed years ago as part of an Eagle Scout project. We're grateful for that Scout's work, which served our community well for a long time, and we're proud to carry that legacy forward.

A big thank you to the Association members who gave their time to assemble and install the sign, and to a local landscaping company who generously donated their time to build the flower box and ground anchor system. It truly was a community effort!

Remember to check the sign as you pass by, and always do your part to prevent wildfires. 🌲

10/06/2026

Yesterday, Monday, October 5, 2026, members of the Sunapee Fire Department visited Mount Royal Academy as part of Fire Prevention Week.

Lieutenant White, Safety Officer Gosselin, FF/EMR W. Sencabaugh, FF McGovern, and PFF Wiemer spent the morning speaking with students about fire safety and prevention. Topics included what to do in the event of a fire or other emergency, how and when to properly use a fire extinguisher, and other important steps students can take to help keep themselves and others safe.

Our members also had the opportunity to answer questions from students and discuss the important role everyone plays in preventing fires and being prepared for emergencies.

We would like to thank Mount Royal Academy for welcoming us and giving us the opportunity to spend the morning with their students.

10/05/2026

🔥 FIRE PREVENTION WEEK 2026 🔥

This week is Fire Prevention Week, and members of the Sunapee Fire Department will be spending time throughout our community helping students learn how they can prevent fires and stay safe during an emergency.

Throughout the week, members of Sunapee Fire will be visiting Mount Royal Academy, Sunapee Elementary School, and Sunapee Middle High School to speak with students of all ages about fire prevention, fire safety, and what to do if a fire occurs.

Our goal is to make fire safety education both informative and engaging. From teaching our youngest students about firefighters and the equipment we use, to providing older students with more in-depth and interactive fire safety education, we hope every student takes home something they can share with their family.

🔥 FIRE SAFETY TIPS FOR EVERY HOME:

• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside bedrooms, and outside sleeping areas.

• Make sure your home also has properly installed carbon monoxide (CO) detectors.

• Test your smoke and CO detectors regularly and make sure everyone in the home recognizes the sound of the alarms.

• Remember that smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors do expire. Check the manufacture or replacement date on each alarm and replace them according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Do not wait for an alarm to stop working before replacing it.

• Develop a home fire escape plan and practice it with the entire family.

• Know at least two ways out of every room whenever possible.

• Pick a safe meeting place outside where everyone should gather after escaping.

• Once you are outside, stay outside. Never go back into a burning building.

• Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from fireplaces, wood stoves, space heaters, and other heat sources.

• Never leave cooking unattended, and keep flammable items away from the stovetop.

• Keep matches and lighters secured and out of the reach of children.

• Close bedroom doors while sleeping. A closed door can help slow the spread of smoke, heat, and fire.

• If a smoke or CO alarm sounds, take it seriously. Get to a safe location and call 911 when appropriate.

Fire prevention isn’t just something to think about during one week of the year. Taking a few simple steps today can make a major difference when seconds count.

Take a few minutes this week to check the smoke and CO detectors in your home. Test them, check their age, and replace any that have reached the end of their service life.

The Sunapee Fire Department looks forward to spending the week with students throughout our community and continuing to build a strong culture of fire safety in Sunapee.

🔥 Prevent fires. Plan your escape. Practice your plan. Stay safe.

09/25/2026

09/02/2026

08/08/2026

Come visit the Sunapee Fire Department Association at the Sunapee Farmers Market today from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM! 🚒

Stop by our booth to check out our brand new 2026 Sunapee Fire Department T-shirts, along with our previous shirt designs, challenge coins, and reflective address signs. We’ll also have plenty of goodies for the kids!

Every purchase directly benefits the Sunapee Fire Department Association and helps us purchase new tools and equipment, support our firefighters, and give back to the Sunapee community through a variety of programs and events.

Thank you for your continued support—we look forward to seeing you at the market today!

07/26/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sunapee Fire Department Responds to Two Hazardous Materials Incidents on Lake Sunapee

SUNAPEE, N.H. — On Saturday, July 25, the Sunapee Fire Department responded to two separate hazardous materials incidents on Lake Sunapee within just over an hour of each other, placing significant demands on local emergency responders who had already spent the previous night operating at the Third Alarm structure fire in Georges Mills.

At 5:02 PM, the Sunapee Fire Department and Newbury Fire Department were dispatched to the area of 1114 Lake Avenue in Georges Mills for a reported sinking boat. Sunapee Fire Boat 1, Newbury Fire Boat 1, and ground crews from the Sunapee Fire Department responded to the scene.

Upon arrival, crews located a small boat that had sunk near the shoreline. All three occupants had safely evacuated the vessel prior to the arrival of emergency personnel and were not injured. The boat owners advised firefighters that they had already contacted a marine salvage company and that a recovery barge was en route from Newbury Harbor.

Firefighters immediately began containing a gasoline and oil spill originating from the sunken vessel to minimize environmental impacts.

While crews from Sunapee and Newbury were still mitigating the incident in Georges Mills, a second possible fuel spill was reported in Sunapee Harbor at 6:15 PM. Sunapee Fire personnel were forced to divide their already limited resources, with additional crews responding to the harbor along with mutual aid from the New London Fire Department and additional resources from the Newbury Fire Department. Due to the significant commitment of local resources, the Goshen Fire Department provided a cover engine for the Town of Sunapee during both incidents.

These back-to-back hazardous materials incidents placed an extreme strain on the Sunapee Fire Department and our mutual aid partners. Many of the responding firefighters had already been awake throughout the night while operating at the Third Alarm structure fire in Georges Mills earlier that morning.

As a reminder, nearly all local fire departments in the Lake Sunapee Region operate with on-call or volunteer personnel. Staffing multiple large-scale emergencies simultaneously can be extremely challenging. During these two incidents, the Sunapee Fire Department had only six members available to manage both emergency scenes. This is why mutual aid was called, but even then, manpower was limited.

The Sunapee Fire Department, along with our mutual aid partners, worked closely with the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NH DES) throughout both incidents.

Below are the most recent updates we can provide regarding both incidents. Additional information will be released as we receive it.

- Sunken Boat – Georges Mills -

Sunapee Fire Boat 1, Newbury Fire Boat 1, and the New Hampshire State Police Marine Patrol remained on scene for approximately three hours awaiting the arrival of the salvage barge. Due to the prolonged response time, the boat owners were ultimately able to refloat the vessel themselves, at which point Marine Patrol safely towed it to Georges Mills Harbor.

Sunapee Fire and Newbury Fire cleared the incident at 8:57 PM.

The Sunapee Fire Department and NH DES will continue monitoring the area today and throughout the coming week for any remaining gasoline or oil that may surface from the vessel. If members of the public notice any petroleum sheen or signs of contamination on the water, they are encouraged to immediately call 911 so emergency responders can respond and investigate promptly.

- Sunapee Harbor Investigation -

The Sunapee Fire Department, Newbury Fire Department, New London Fire Department, and NH DES conducted an extensive investigation into the reported sheen observed throughout Sunapee Harbor.

Preliminary observations indicate it is consistent with the same type of sheen that has been investigated in the harbor earlier this summer and again last fall.

NH DES collected multiple samples for laboratory testing. Firefighters and environmental officials also conducted an extensive search for a possible source using a drone, inspecting vessels throughout the harbor, and checking beneath nearby docks and buildings. No identifiable source was located.

At this time, there is no known danger to the harbor, recreational boaters, or the public. The Sunapee Fire Department and NH DES will continue monitoring the area and investigating throughout the coming week.

Sunapee Fire and the previously listed mutual aid departments cleared the scene in Sunapee Harbor at 8:48 PM.

The Sunapee Fire Department would like to remind the public that when firefighters and other emergency personnel are operating at emergency scenes, especially incidents involving hazardous materials, it is important to give responders the space they need to work safely and efficiently. Please use caution when traveling near emergency apparatus and always follow the directions of first responders.

The Sunapee Fire Department would like to thank the Newbury Fire Department, New London Fire Department, Goshen Fire Department, the Sunapee Police Department, the New Hampshire State Police Marine Patrol, and the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services for their continued assistance and partnership during these incidents.