03/23/2026
WOMEN WHO LED THE WAY AT AES
By the late 1980s and early 1990s, women were not only serving in leadership roles at the America Emergency Squad, they were continuing to move through the operational officer ranks.
In 1986, Marion Riley became the first woman to serve as 1st Lieutenant. A few years later, in 1991, she again made history when she became the first woman to serve as 2nd Lieutenant.
That same year, Shelly Augustino became the first woman to serve as 3rd Lieutenant.
Lieutenants play an important role in the day-to-day operations of an EMS organization, supervising crews, supporting command staff, and helping ensure the squad is ready to respond when the community calls.
Their leadership helped demonstrate something that had become clear by the early 1990s: women were not just reaching leadership positions at AES, they were becoming a regular part of the operational officer corps.
The photo below shows Shelly during her time with AES in the early 1990s. EMS uniforms may have changed a bit since then, but the dedication to serving the community remains the same.
Throughout Women’s History Month, we’re highlighting the women who were the first to serve in leadership roles at the America Emergency Squad and the lasting impact they had on the organization.
