Rapid Response Team Sent to Respond to Yellowstone River Closure

The sudden closure of the Yellowstone River due to massive whitefish kill-off has led to enough economic disruption that the state of Montana will deploy a rapid response team today. Montana Department of Labor and Industry spokesman Jake Troyer explains.

"Our goal is to make sure that any businesses that are being impacted by the river closure have an opportunity to either find retraining or resources available to them while the river is closed," said Troyer. "We will be having a rapid response session on Monday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Yellowstone Pioneer Lodge in Livingston."

The rapid response meeting will include services and help from every level of government.

"This event is available to anyone that feels they may be impacted by the closure," Troyer said. "This rapid response event is going to be a collaboration between local, county, state, and federal agencies. Experts from entities across that spectrum will be available to answer questions and provide resources."

Rapid response teams are typically sent out after mass layoffs or disasters. The Department of Labor and Industry did not have a clear number as to how many businesses and jobs were directly or indirectly effected by the river closure.