The 411 - The International Sign of Distress

The international sign of distress is a recognized signal used to indicate that someone or something is in need of immediate assistance or rescue. The most widely known and used distress signal is the SOS distress code, which consists of three short signals, three long signals, and three short signals again (· · · - - - · · ·). This signal is transmitted using sound or light, such as through Morse code with a flashlight or through radio communication.

The SOS distress signal was adopted as the international standard in 1905 and is universally recognized for emergencies across the globe. It does not stand for any particular words but is chosen because it is easily recognizable and distinguishable from other signals in Morse code.

If you find yourself in a situation where you need urgent help, using the SOS distress signal can be a crucial way to communicate your need for assistance, especially in remote or isolated locations where other forms of communication may not be available.

Source: Some or all of the content was generated using an AI language model