Commenting on the award, Bill Deans said: “Whilst I’m honoured to receive the MBE, the lifeboat service isn’t about individuals, it’s about crews. I’ve had the good fortune to serve with outstanding crewmates down the years. None of us could have carried on without the bond which exists within crews, and every life we saved was a crew achievement.”
Bill – a police constable at the time – began volunteering as a crew-member on Aberdeen’s Inshore Lifeboat (ILB) in 1976. The ILB at that time was located at Pocra Quay, separate from the city’s All-weather Lifeboat (ALB) base at Waterloo Quay. When the stations merged at Waterloo Quay in 1985, Bill joined the ALB crew also. A qualified First Aider throughout his service, Bill served as Emergency Motor Mechanic 1988-2007, ILB Mechanic from 2002-2007, was appointed 2nd Coxswain 1994-2007 and, on his retirement from the Police in 2002, took up an RNLI staff appointment as Divisional Trainer/Assessor in which role he supported RNLI crews in Scotland and Ireland for 15 years.
A veteran of more than 634 rescues, Bill retired from active crew service at the age of 60 in 2010, in line with RNLI policy. He immediately began volunteering as a Deputy Launching Authority before, in 2015, being invited to take up his present role as Lifeboat Operations Manager at Aberdeen Lifeboat Station.
Bill was born in Aberdeen but it was his mother’s family roots in Stronsay, Orkney, which inspired his interest in the RNLI. He now lives in Belhelvie, Aberdeenshire with his wife, Pat; the couple have two grown-up children and two grand-children.
Paying her own tribute to Mr Deans, Dr Margaret Farquhar CBE, former Lord Provost of Aberdeen and chair of the Aberdeen Branch of the RNLI, says: “Bill Deans has led, trained and inspired generations of lifeboat crews, not just in Aberdeen but across Scotland and Ireland. His many friends in the RNLI will be delighted to see his 42 years’ service recognised through his appointment as MBE.”
Davie Orr, coxswain of Aberdeen Lifeboat added: “Bill is a legend throughout the Scottish RNLI community - the epitome of a traditional lifeboatman. He is part of the fabric at Aberdeen Lifeboat Station, involved in daily operations and training. We are all tremendously proud of this fantastic, meritorious award. From the crew and I, a sincere thank you and congratulations.”
