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.