By Kelsey Givens

A medical episode experienced by a county commissioner after he opened a letter at county offices triggered an emergency response Thursday.

A hazardous materials team, Nye County sheriff’s deputies and Pahrump Valley Fire and Rescue Services personnel descended on commission chambers on Calvada Boulevard after Commissioner Butch Borasky became disoriented after opening the letter. Reports indicate Borasky was alarmed that perhaps he’d been exposed to a toxic substance. He was subsequently taken to Desert View Hospital and county staff members were evacuated from the building.

The incident occurred at about 12:30 p.m. when Borasky opened a brown, 5×7-inch padded envelope in his office at the Calvada Eye.

Believing something in the package may have caused the adverse reaction, Borasky put the letter down and immediately left his office to call emergency responders.

Vance Payne, director of Nye County Emergency Management, said it appeared that Borasky was in no serious danger and that he was going to be fine.

“There was some material that he felt made him light-headed, so as a precaution we had him leave the area and he’s been removed to Desert View Hospital. He has no apparent problems right now. Pahrump Valley Fire Rescue, HAZMAT, Nye County Emergency Management and the Nye County Sheriff’s Office are at the scene preparing to make entry. They’ll use diagnostic equipment to determine if there is or is not a problem,” he said at the scene.

After emergency responders suited up and made entry into the office, they quickly determined that nothing appeared to be out of the ordinary. Further readings determined that neither the building nor letter appeared to be contaminated.

“Inside the letter is a CD, somebody was sending him some information. We’re guessing now this might have been a medical event. The meters showed absolutely nothing. What he thought was shredded paper was fuzzy padding. It may be a big fat nothing, but we needed to see this through,” Payne said.

The director said despite the false alarm it was good practice for the county’s HAZMAT team.