First Female Captain Promoted to CLE Airport Fire Team

January 14, 2020

Events & UpdatesPress Releases

Cleveland Hopkins International Airport’s (CLE) Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) team has its first ever female Captain after a recent promotion. Karen Moleterno has worked for ARFF for 16 years. 

“It is a well-deserved promotion for Captain Moleterno,” said Airport Director Robert Kennedy. “We are happy to have her on our team at CLE and honored to watch her continue to rise in her latest promotion.” 

Moleterno has over twenty years of experience in emergency services leadership. 

Her previous background includes Chester Township Fire where she is the Assistant Fire Chief, Cleveland EMS where she was a paramedic and East Cleveland EMS/Huron Hospital where she was a paramedic supervisor. 

ARFF is a special category of firefighting that involves responding to aircraft emergencies as well as everyday occurrences such as medial calls, vehicle accidents on or near airport property and building fire alarms to name a few.