Satellite phones may not work in forested Eastern Washington

OLYMPIA – In the aftermath of a vicious attack on a social worker in Eastern Washington, the state rushed to purchase dozens of expensive satellite phones for workers in emergencies.

But a problem quickly emerged: The phones may not work.

The 61 satellite phones, which were purchased at a total cost of $42,653, often do not work in cars, structures or even forested areas unless they have unimpeded access to satellites.

“You have to be in an open area for it to contact the satellite,” said Ken Kraft, regional administrator for the Department of Children and Family Services. “It wouldn’t, for instance, work in a grove of trees. We’re still learning all of this.”

Ferry County Sheriff Pete Warner, whose deputies often respond to calls with social workers, said his office has long known that the satellite phones may not work in the forested mountains of Eastern Washington.

“Satellite phones are unpredictable,” Warner said. “The best way is with radios.”

The state purchased 16 satellite phones for Eastern Washington. Kraft said the department, which bought the phones at the recommendation of a statewide task force on worker safety, later learned that handheld radios – such as those used by law enforcement – work more effectively in mountainous areas.

Sharon Gilbert, a risk management consultant with the Department of Social and Health Services, chaired a worker safety task force that was formed after a man attacked social worker Edith Vance with a machete.

“We had discussions about the problems with cell phone coverage and the fact that satellite phones don’t always work,” Gilbert said. “I guess that’s something I would like to hear more about. I strongly hope that we have a statewide worker safety commission that begins to address those issues.”

Kraft, who did not sit on the state task force, said his region is still trying to determine how well the phones work in remote areas.

“You can go back and say we should have bought a couple and tried them out,” Kraft said. “But the intent was to get them out into the field right away.”