SNSM GUADELOUPE

Emergency number from the coast: 196. VHF Channel 16.

The SNSM, Société Nationale de Sauvetage en Mer, is a non-profit association whose main objective is to rescue people in danger at sea and on the coast, while operating voluntarily and free of charge. The association is mainly financed by public donations and private partners. The SNSM currently has a team of 8,800 volunteers, all of whom are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year round, to respond to requests from the Regional Operational Rescue and Surveillance Center of the Antilles-Guyana (CROSSAG). Volunteers perform numerous search and rescue interventions at sea, ranging from assisting vessels in distress to assessing the condition of people in distress. They provide essential first aid and bring the injured or stranded to shore, where other rescue organizations take over. In addition, the SNSM offers training to people wishing to become maritime rescue volunteers, enabling them to acquire essential skills such as navigation and first aid.