Off the subject

[Bear]

I know this question has nothing to do with computers but I wondering if anyone knows what a "SIG ALERT" is? They use this term on the news when talking about some sort of traffic accident. I have e-mailed all of the network stations and asked them but all I get is a standard form letter back from them saying they cannot answer specific questions.
I have also searched the WWW for it and found very little.
I assume it is an acronym for something.

Hope someone knows
Thanks

[Bob-NB]

Don't know if this is the one...

http://www.ucc.ie/cgi-bin/acronym?SIG+alert

SIG=
Special Interest Group

[Bear]

No thats not it. When they have a SIG ALERT there has been an accident on one of the freeways and it seems like they might shut down some lanes. Usually it is a bad accident. They use this term and I was just curious what it meant.

Thanks again

[Roy]

In Southern California, a Sigalert is a radio announcement sent out by the California Highway Patrol to make the community aware of an incident on the freeway that will block one or more lanes for at least thirty minutes.

It was named for Loyd 'Sig' Sigmon (b. 1909), its inventor, who was co-owner of radio station KMPC in the 1950's. Mr. Sigmon's original idea was to give the Los Angeles Police Department direct access to LA radio stations to broadcast emergency public safety information. Beginning in 1955, each radio station was given a receiver that had "Sigalert" stamped on its side.

[Bear]

Thanks for the information Roy. I couldn't believe how hard it was to find that kind of info.