The Société Nationale de Sauvetage en Mer (SNSM) is a French voluntary organisation founded in 1967 by merging the
Société Centrale de Sauvetage des Naufragés (founded in 1865) and the
Hospitaliers Sauveteurs Bretons (1873). Its task is saving lives at sea around the French coast, including the overseas départments and territories.
In 2009 the SNSM was responsible for about half of all sea rescue operations and saved 5,400 lives in 2,816 call-outs and assisted 2,140 boats in distress. 65% of funding comes from the private sector (donations, bequests and sponsorship) and 35% comes from the national government, the regions, the
département
In the administrative divisions of France, the department (french: département, ) is one of the three levels of government under the national level (" territorial collectivities"), between the administrative regions and the communes. Ninety ...
s and the local communities.
Fleet
The SNSM has the following boats:
:40 All weather lifeboats
:34 Class 1 lifeboats (up to 40
knots
A knot is a fastening in rope or interwoven lines.
Knot may also refer to:
Places
* Knot, Nancowry, a village in India
Archaeology
* Knot of Isis (tyet), symbol of welfare/life.
* Minoan snake goddess figurines#Sacral knot
Arts, entertainme ...
/
force
In physics, a force is an influence that can change the motion of an object. A force can cause an object with mass to change its velocity (e.g. moving from a state of rest), i.e., to accelerate. Force can also be described intuitively as a ...
8)
:76 Class 2 lifeboats (up to 33 knots/force 7)
:20 Class 4 lifeboats
:425 Inshore lifeboats (including jetskis)
All these boats are unsinkable by injection into the hull of closed cell polyurethane foam in reserved spaces, this material is very light compared to water (about 30 times less heavy): with these buoyancy reserves, the boat itself full of water always remains in positive buoyancy; they also have a tight sealed compartment. All-weather lifeboats from 15 meters to 18 meters are self-righting. The first class lifeboat have capacities close to the all-weather rescue boats, the second class lifeboat are intended for slightly less difficult conditions. The first and second class lifeboat, respectively 14 meters and 12 meters, which are the most recent boats, are self-righting, these boats having an all weather type design.
The boats are dispersed in 185 stations (including 15 in overseas territories).
Incidents
On 7 Jun 2019, the lifeboat ''Jack Morisseau'' set out to rescue a fishing vessel in distress during a storm off the Atlantic coast of France. Twenty minutes after launch, someone reported that the lifeboat was upside down on rocks close to its launch point in
Les Sables-d'Olonne
Les Sables-d'Olonne (; French meaning: "The Sands of Olonne"; Poitevin: ''Lés Sablles d'Oloune'') is a seaside town in Western France, on the Atlantic Ocean. A subprefecture of the department of Vendée, Pays de la Loire, it has the adminis ...
. Three of the crew died, one was airlifted out of the sea and three others swam to shore. The fisherman was unaccounted for.
See also
*
German Maritime Search and Rescue Service
The German Maritime Search and Rescue Service (german: Deutsche Gesellschaft zur Rettung Schiffbrüchiger - DGzRS, ; lit. ''German Society for the Rescue of Shipwrecked Persons'') is responsible for Search and Rescue in German territorial waters ...
*
Koninklijke Nederlandse Redding Maatschappij
*
Lebanese Sea Rescue Unit
The Sea Rescue Unit is a voluntary organisation part of the Lebanese Civil Defense. Its main task is saving lives at sea around the Lebanese coast. The others tasks include the fire fighting at sea and marine environment stewardship.
Stations
T ...
*
Redningsselskapet
The Norwegian Society for Sea Rescue (Redningsselskapet in Norwegian, commonly shortened to RS) is the only organization wholly dedicated to assisting people and vessels at sea along the extensive Norwegian coastline.
Overview
Norwegian Society f ...
*
Royal National Lifeboat Institution
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is the largest charity that saves lives at sea around the coasts of the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, as well as on some inland waterways. It i ...
*
Sociedad de Salvamento y Seguridad Marítima
*
Swedish Sea Rescue Society
*
US Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, multi ...
References
External links
official site (French)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Societe Nationale De Sauvetage En Mer
Maritime safety in France
Sea rescue organizations
Non-profit organizations based in France
1967 establishments in France