A great photo contest for National Maritime Rescue Day
Due to the health crisis, the great SNSM gathering will be virtual in this year 2020. Celebrated on Sunday 28 June, the national day will be held via the Internet. To adapt to this, the Sauveteurs en Mers are launching a major photo competition from 8 to 27 June, the "One Thousand and One Photos for the SNSM", on the theme of the sea from the sea and the metropolitan and overseas coastlines.
This contest is open to all and consists in posting a photo on a dedicated site (to be found at the bottom of the page) featuring rescuers or stations of the SNSM or not, in order to create a large photo mosaic. The mosaic will be unveiled on June 28, National Maritime Lifeguard Day.
Each week until the National Day date, a winner will be selected by random draw. There are many prizes to be won, including DIAL tracking bracelets, SNSM goodies and waterproof backpacks.
Finally, on 28th June, a big winner - also drawn at random - will win a sail aboard the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild with the skippers of Gitana Team.
The rescuers need you
The SNSM relies on volunteers to keep the sea and beaches safe, who do not hesitate to put their lives at risk to save the lives of others. It is therefore important that boaters and summer visitors are made aware of their role. They rely on the generosity of the public to continue their mission under the best conditions.
In order to ensure its future, the SNSM must face major but costly challenges: the training the development and procurement of its lifeguards, the development and acquisition of its equipment, as well as the renewal of a fleet of over 450 lifeboats The Commission will continue to work on the development of a new system for the management and control of the
If 150?000 people donate to the association every year, this figure is quite modest compared to the millions of people who enjoy the coastline and may one day need lifeguards: in 2019, nearly 37?000 people will be taking care of the beach in the open sea.
In the next ten years, due to the ageing of its rescue fleet, SNSM must renew 140 vessels for a total of around 100 million euros. For this year 2020, 27 vessels are being renewed or are undergoing mid-life modernization.
In addition to the fleet, training is also compulsory and represents a budget of almost 5 million euros per year, and is set to increase in the coming years.
Finally, technology and regulations are evolving rapidly, as is the equipment budget: navigation electronics, night vision binoculars or infrared cameras, life jackets, semi-automatic defibrillators..
A donation campaign
In order to make the general public aware of the organisation of sea rescue in France and the needs of the Sauveteurs en mer, the association is launching a new donation campaign.
"We must make all sea-lovers aware of the importance of preserving this model of association and voluntary work, unique in France, which brings together qualified lifeguards with a wide range of different jobs, committed to rescuing them at all times, in all situations and in all weathers, from the beach to the open sea", says Marc Sauvagnac, Executive Director of the SNSM.
