Stevenson Praises Local Lifeboat Service Across Banffshire and Buchan Coast

Stewart Stevenson, SNP MSP for Banffshire & Buchan Coast, paid tribute to the four lifeboat stations in his constituency – Buckie, Macduff, Fraserburgh and Peterhead – in a Scottish Parliament debate this week.

Buckie Lifeboat, © RNLI 2015

Mr Stevenson said:

“I know how much my constituents value having the lifeboats, which provide the security of knowing that there is someone on standby who knows what they are doing and has the equipment to do it.

“I was interested to read about an early experience of a lifeboat in 1965, when it rescued leisure sailors - the first rescue boats were cobbles. A couple of guys rowed them and somebody would be in the stern steering the boat towards the vessel in distress. We have made a lot of progress in professionalising and improving the quality of support.”

He added that the sea can be very dangerous and what lifeboats have to contend with is not a trivial matter.