“There is a serious shortage, we have been trying to prevent for the last century. In a serious tone, Axel Lamotte, member of the National Professional Union of Lifeguards (SNPMNS), is alarmed by taking stock of the profession when the good weather has already come to an end. nose. According to him, there would be a lack of “5,000 positions, throughout the year” to ensure the safety of bathers while in France there were 1,480 drownings in 2021, of which 27% resulted in death according to him. Public health France.
Like many others, Mathieu D. gave up his flippers and his whistle to give surf lessons on the Landes coast: “I find myself there much more financially, if I had been able, I might have continued , but the profession is not valued enough. »
Same story with Axel Lamotte, who tries to explain the difficulties encountered in his sector: “First there is the financial factor, with a profession that is not sufficiently recognized. Today, we are even below the minimum wage because we do not take into account the time we waste getting into work clothes, sometimes up to several times a day, or that we take to prepare our sessions for example. We can also talk about the constraints of working in the evening or on weekends, which are often not taken into account. »
Working conditions that are not “in line with the responsibilities assumed by lifeguards” according to the head of the union. “It’s both civil and criminal,” he explains. A lifeguard risks up to five years in prison and a fine of €75,000. »
Insufficiently qualified supervisors?
So, to deal with this lack of arms, communities and companies in charge of recruitment must adapt and call on new profiles. “Today, I would say that it is almost 90% of beach supervisors who hold the BNSSA, estimates Axel Lamotte. Initially, the National Water Safety and Rescue Certificate was only supposed to train assistants to lifeguards, today they have become the norm. Most of the time they are young students who are looking to make a little money during the summer and who are left on their own”. An express training which does not allow, according to him, to “properly monitor” swimming.
In addition to the lack of staff, the lifeguard is also particularly indignant at the overall level of swimming in France. “To train someone to become a swimmer, I would say it takes five years,” he insists. And already, to save someone, even a child, it’s mission impossible for someone who is considered a good swimmer. We have lots of examples of very good swimmers who lost their lives trying to help someone. And even then, it would take six months of additional training to teach him to become a lifeguard. »
“You need an emergency plan to learn to swim”
So what are the solutions? Axel Lamotte has a plan in mind: “What is needed is an emergency plan for learning to swim, and that involves the emergency training of lifeguards. “Especially since, according to him, another phenomenon should greatly accelerate the evolution of the number of accidents: “global warming”. “Whatever we do, there will certainly be an increase in the number of drownings because of the global increase in temperatures. So, we have to stem the phenomenon as much as possible. »