- The SNSM is organizing a fundraising campaign to finance its activities.
- The association has 8,500 volunteer rescuers for only 87 employees.
- She needs money to finance the training of her rescuers and to renew her fleet of boats, deemed to be aging.
It became their event, their day, their moment. Established by the Prime Minister in 2017, the National Day of Sea Rescuers has become an opportunity for the SNSM to open its stations all along the French coast. This year, the coronavirus epidemic has been stronger than the men and women in orange, who have to content themselves with a major online campaign to appeal to the generosity of their donors. Founded in 1967 and heir to the Central Society for the Rescue of the Shipwrecked, the SNSM is organizing a day of appeal for donations this Sunday. A major issue for the association, which works with more than 8,500 volunteer rescuers. Last year, three of them died in a sea accident off Sables d'Olonne (Vendée).
“The SNSM has an excellent reputation, so we don't have too many recruitment problems. Our apprehension is to be able to continue to train our rescuers and to renew our fleet. ” Marc Sauvagnac is a proud director. At the head of the Lifeguards at sea since 2012, the man speaks of his institution with passion. “We rescue and care for 37,000 people a year only thanks to our volunteers. It is a great school of life. They are all very qualified because we insist on training. But we must continue to anticipate the change in profile of our rescuers. ”
⚓️ These men and women volunteers are the guardians of our water bodies. On this National Day of #SaversinMer thank them for their commitment! #SNSM
Support the Rescuers at Sea 💙 https://t.co/rTogWu5Dzk pic.twitter.com/HY6b57hT1T
The “change of profile” mentioned by the boss of the SNSM is the decrease in the number of fishermen in the ranks of rescuers. While they were in the majority a few decades ago, seafarers now represent only 25% of the crews. The "new" present a much more heterogeneous profile but require significant investments in training.
Nearly 150 boats to buy
The aging of the fleet is also a major concern of the SNSM. While its annual operating budget painfully exceeds 35 million euros, the association will have to renew 150 of its 450 lifeboats in the next ten years. Invoice amount ? At least one hundred million euros. “The amounts are considerable but necessary. It is a question of sustainability of the model. Our rescuers must be proud. And for that, they must embark on boats in perfect condition, "summarizes the director of the structure.
With its day called "SNSM mile", the association hopes to convince donors to support them. Especially at the dawn of a very French-French summer which promises to be dense on French beaches, even if a number of festivals where the SNSM intervenes will not take place. “What we can see is that a good number of people practicing nautical leisure are not careful enough at sea. It is imperative to be equipped with a means of contact and location, even when one is in kayaking, paddle or kitesurfing, ”explains Marc Sauvagnac.
His association promotes DIAL, a bracelet that helps locate boaters. At the end of confinement, fatal accidents had multiplied on the French coast. The SNSM then appealed to caution for swimmers and boaters.
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