E-911 Dispatcher Spotlight: Maryon Sillimon
Maryon Sillimon is a lifelong resident of Lauderdale County. She grew up in the Lauderdale
community and later the Collinsville area. Her fascination with first responders started early from
watching the television show “911.”
That fascination led to a friend sending Sillimon an application to become an E-911 dispatcher,
and she’s been doing it ever since.
“I was like, ‘ok. I think this is something I can maybe get into,’” she said. “I ended up starting it
and loving it. I think this is one of my best jobs I’ve had.”
With almost a year into the job, Sillimon said it can be demanding. Dispatchers have to juggle
multiple things at once and keep calm under pressure to gather critical information and send
potentially lifesaving care where it is needed most.
E-911 dispatchers are the first point of contact in the public safety sphere for many people, and
there is always a dispatcher ready to answer if a 911 call is needed.
“We’re the first, first responders. You call, we answer. We get you to whoever you need, whether
it’s fire, medical or officer,” she said. “It doesn’t matter how small it is or how big. We’re there.
We’ve got your back.”
Dispatches will do everything in their power to help, Sillimon said, but they need patience and
cooperation from callers to get the job done. Those calling 911 can expect a lot of questions,
she said, and that is because first responders need information to know what to expect, how to
prepare and how best to address the situation when they arrive on scene.
“That’s where the patience has to come in because if we don’t know, we can’t help,” she said.
“So it helps us make sure our fire department, our police officers know exactly what they’re
walking into, so we have to ask questions.”
April 12-18 is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, and Lauderdale County is using
the observance to highlight the work of its E-911 dispatchers and the vital role they play in public
safety. Anyone interested in learning more about being an E-911 dispatcher can call 601-482-
7559.