Alert processing centres, known as CTAs, are the bodies responsible for receiving, processing and, if necessary, redirecting emergency calls from the departmental or territorial fire and rescue service received in particular via the 18 emergency call number. They are directed by a professional fire brigade officer.
In accordance with the provisions of article L. 1424-44 of this code and the article L. 6311-2 of the public health code, the alert processing centres and the emergency medical services call reception and regulation centres, whose systems are interconnected, keep each other informed as quickly as possible of the calls they receive and the operations in progress, and redirect to the appropriate centre any call that does not fall directly within their area of competence.
The alert processing centres are also interconnected with the emergency medical services call reception and regulation centres.
The CTAs are also interconnected with the call reception systems of the police and gendarmerie services responsible for the emergency number 17.