Page 15 - LifestylesinPalmBeachGardens - April '22

Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens, Page 15

Care Combined With Compassion Commissioner’s

Spurs Successful Outcomes Update

Palm Beach County Airports
Dr. Jason Hechtman’s System Soars

Treatment Approach Treats

Patients Like Family, While By County Commissioner
Maria Marino
Offering World-Class The year-end 2021 traffic
report for Palm Beach
Cancer Care International Airport (PBI)
passenger travel reflects
Dr. Jason Hechtman has wanted to fight cancer since a 70.5 percent increase
he was a little boy, and a beloved family member’s bout from 2020, indicating a
with the disease still inspires him today. His grandmother steady return toward pre-
was diagnosed with breast cancer while he was young, and Inspired by his relationship with his grandmother, pandemic levels. The
Hechtman felt helpless that he couldn’t take care of her. Hechtman has always focused on developing a close largest market share of
“My grandma was filled with life and vitality, and it relationship with his patients and their families, enplaned passengers is held
was hard for me to watch the life slowly get taken out of building trust and a system of support to improve patient by JetBlue Airways, followed by American Airlines and
her as she got more tired and became sicker and sicker,” outcomes and develop a continued road to success. He Delta Air Lines.
he said. “I didn’t know how to help her, so as I grew up, works with patients to develop individualized plans that Palm Beach County (PBC) owns, operates and maintains
I knew I wanted to become a doctor.” incorporate mental health and positivity. a system of four airports: Palm Beach International, North
Hechtman is now on the medical staff at Tampa “What I try to do when I take care of patients is treat Palm Beach County Aviation Airport (F45) off the Beeline
General Hospital (TGH) and was an assistant professor everybody as I would my grandma, mother, or sister,” Highway near Jupiter and Palm Beach Gardens, Palm
of breast surgery at the University of South Florida (USF) Hechtman explained. “I focus on how to talk and relate Beach County Park Airport (LNA) in Lantana, and Palm
Health Morsani College of Medicine. He recently moved in that way, because family is the most important thing in Beach County Glades Airport (PHK) in Pahokee.
to Florida’s East Coast and sees patients in West Palm everybody’s life. If you treat your patient like you would The system operates as an enterprise fund, with no ad
Beach, Palm Springs, Wellington, and Jupiter. treat your family, you can’t go wrong.” valorem tax support. Operations are funded by user fees
Hechtman specializes in the treatment of breast cancer The fused relationship between TGH and USF paid by airlines, businesses and passengers. Construction
and breast diseases. He blends cutting-edge treatment Health has allowed Hechtman to utilize the research, projects for renewal and replacement of facilities are
options with advanced surgical interventions to ensure expertise, and “environment of learning” that a funded by federal and state grants, passenger facility
patients not only receive the best medical care possible, university structure offers. charges, revenue bonds and airport revenues.
but also feel beautiful and confident in the result. With “This environment breeds new avenues and Several capital improvement projects are planned,
more than 16 years of experience, Hechtman is an expert openings, but patients don’t always want to be including: airfield pavement rehabilitation and
in breast lumpectomy, mastectomy, axillary dissection, bombarded with the science because it gets confusing,” reconstruction; roofing, HVAC, public address system,
sentinel lymph node procedures, breast ultrasound, Hechtman explained. “So instead, I really enjoy getting and elevator/escalator replacement; federal inspection
ultrasound-guided breast interventions, partial breast to know my patients, their parents, their children, what facilities; maintenance facilities; and, a new aircraft rescue
radiation therapy, Savi Scout-guided breast resections, they do, what their likes and dislikes are, because we’re and fire-fighting station, that will be relocated closer to
breast oncoplastic surgery, hidden scar technique, and going on a journey together, and that journey is not the air traffic control tower. The Concourse B Expansion
other minimally invasive breast interventions that going to be for a short time. When I take care of my Project will add more than 50,000 square feet of new
maximize aesthetic outcomes. patients, I take care of them forever.” space, two new gate locations, expanded concession space,
concrete aircraft apron work, and an extension of existing
building systems.
North County residents will be interested to know that
the North Palm Beach County General Aviation Airport
will expand runway 14-32 from 75 feet wide and 4,300
feet long to 100 feet wide and 6,000 feet long. This will
not bring passenger air carrier service and there should
be no significant increase in the size of aircraft expected
to utilize the airport in the future. Additionally, there are
no anticipated changes to the airspace or flight tracks or
routes in and out of F45.
Sources of revenue for the operation and maintenance
of the airport system include parking facilities, landing
fees, and tenants. Tenants at PBI include airlines, rental
car agencies, concessionaires, fixed base operators, airline
services providers and other commercial lessors such as
a Toyota car dealership, a travel plaza with a collocated
cellphone waiting lot, Drive Shack and Home2 Suites by
Hilton. The revenues from non-airline development help
keep airline costs low.
PBI houses 13 commercial airline carriers with nonstop
passenger flights to 40 destinations. The newest airline,
Avelo Airlines Inc., based in New Haven, Conn., debuted
its first inaugural flight into PBI on December 16, 2021.
Named the Eighth Best Domestic Airport in Travel +
Leisure Magazine’s 2021 World’s Best Awards, PBI strives
to expand opportunities for travelers to enjoy nonstop air
travel to popular destinations.
Earning national accolades requires attention to details
on the traveler experience and state-of-the-art technology.
On a recent tour of PBI operations, I had a firsthand look
at the inner workings of the baggage handling system.
The elaborate 3-part scanning system utilizes a complex
system of conveyor belts and cameras with on-screen
resolution of baggage contents. This enables security
personnel to pull luggage for hand checking before it is
loaded onto the aircraft.
The airport system is under the able direction of
Laura Beebe, who has served Palm Beach County for
many years; first, as an assistant county attorney, then,
for the next 20 years with airports negotiating contracts
and business transactions leading to her promotion as
director. Beebe has demonstrated fiscal responsibility
while providing quality service to the public with a focus
on passenger safety.
Let me know how I can assist you by contacting my office
at (561) 355-2201, or by email at mmarino@pbcgov.org.