This summer, Var municipalities compensate for the absence of CRS

With the CRS unable to be present, municipalities adapted and called upon an even larger contingent of SNSM lifeguards. To compensate for the lack of CRS on the beaches, 700 additional lifeguards have been hired in France this year.

BEACH POLICE

Thus, until September 1, the beaches of La Londe-les-Maures are supervised by 18 SNSM lifeguards. "The aid stations, set up on the Miramar, Tamaris, and l’Argentière beaches, are open every day from 11:10 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. to monitor swimming. However, the beaches will no longer be supervised starting September 2. Their mission is to monitor swimming conditions, hoisting the appropriate flags on the aid stations, watching and intervening in case of problems or distress in the water or on the sand. They are supported by the Police municipale dedicated to beach policing," explains François de Canson, the mayor. Concretely, the Police municipale deploys two officers every day from 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on the beaches and the water body. The town has 13 municipal police officers and 5 ASVP (agents de surveillance de la voie publique) for patrols on foot, by bicycle, by car, and by boat. "We have reinforced the staff of our Police municipale. It ensures the safety and tranquility of the beaches and the water body within the 300-meter zone. Our officers also enforce municipal decrees concerning street vending or motorboat exclusion zones," the mayor adds. "The Police municipale is also involved in the Opération Tranquillité Vacances (OTV), which exists in all municipalities in Var, both in police and gendarmerie zones. In La Londe, every day during the officers' working hours, the police check residences whose owners are on holiday and have registered in advance with the service. On the gendarmerie side, the local brigade benefits from 3 reinforcing reservist gendarmes every day of the season, in addition to the 12 year-round gendarmes," specifies David Timel, chief of the municipal police.

MONITORING OF THE FOREST MASSIFS

Furthermore, as in other municipalities in Var, La Londe relies on the Comités Communaux des Feux de Forêt (CCFF) for forest fire prevention. "The 37 CCFF members monitor the municipal massifs and intervene in support of emergency services in the event of a disaster (guiding, logistics, blocking off areas). In case of evacuation, they guide residents to refuge areas. They are present from 1:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and from 8:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. in the event of extreme risk. For its part, the Région Sud funded the Garde Régionale Forestière program. Within the Méditerranée Porte des Maures perimeter (6 municipalities), 18 young people aged 18 to 25 are mobilized, meaning 3 per municipality, particularly at the most at-risk spots (Miramar, chemin des Anamites, Notre-Dame des Maures massif, Domaine de Tamary, Le Pellegrin, Valcros)," indicates François de Canson. Finally, regarding the firefighters, they intervene when called upon and maintain a presence at certain summer events, notably during the fireworks on July 14 and August 17.