“Our DNA is to save lives, not to help out dishonest or aggressive people”
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On the quay of the port, Philippe Grau has a hard time recovering. In the seaside town of Grau-du-Roi (Gard), the president of the National Sea Rescue Society (SNSM) is having a difficult summer. He begins his story, his voice full of emotion: “A call at 6 a.m. for towing assistance. » Young people have run aground with their boat on the Espiguette beach, and are unable to leave. A fairly common scenario here. As usual, without wasting a minute, he warns his ” colleagues “, who come to the checkpoint. “When we got there, we were confronted with individuals who had probably drunk too much, who spoke badly to us and who immediately warned us that they would not pay the bill. Not a thank you, not a word of recognition. » Threats follow and a complaint is filed against the rescuer… Philippe Grau has it bad: “Our DNA is to save lives, not to help people who don’t know the sea, or who are dishonest and aggressive with us. We are not trained for that. »
This type of intervention, more and more frequent according to the rescuers, is a blow to the motivation of the team. “We give of our time, we love what we do. But people don’t realize that we’re dropping everything we’re doing to help them.”reports Claude Caliendo, a retiree hired since 2019. Even the usual “Hand wave when we meet at sea” is no longer obvious, regrets Philippe Grau, twenty years of experience in the association. “Many people think we are a state service, but no, we are all volunteers. »
They are 8,800 throughout France to operate this association of public utility. In the only SNSM station on the Gard coast, around thirty people are mobilized all year round. Volunteers train at least two Sundays a month, even in winter, learn hoisting techniques and theory, and make themselves available day and night. Exactly like volunteer firefighters. The only constraint imposed by the president: to live in the town. Claude, who lives on a boat, is always the first to arrive. “On my mobile phone, I put a special SNSM ringtone. As soon as I hear it, even if I’m sleeping, my brain goes into intervention mode. I go for it, but sometimes, we would prefer that it didn’t ring. »
“We walk on passion”
The blues of lifeguards at sea Grau-du-Roi is more and more tangible. The tragic accident of 2019, where three rescuers died off Sables-d’Olonne (Vendée) during a rescue operation, often comes up in conversations. “A bit like a booster shot”, says Philippe Grau, who regains his enthusiasm as soon as he talks about his other mission: passing on the torch to new generations. Fostering vocations and maintaining voluntary work remains one of the primary ambitions of SNSM stations. “Here, we still manage to recruit young people”observes the manager, who relies heavily on team spirit.
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