This IS a drill.

The Port of Cork has advised the public that an emergency drill, involving emergency vehicles, will take place at the Calor Gas centre in Tivoli tomorrow.

Alerting the public to the drill, Port of Cork wrote on Twitter: “Please be advised an EXERCISE to test External Emergency Plan for Calor Gas Tivoli will take place on Tuesday 12th between 10:00 and 12:30. There will be emergency vehicles attending… Please note this is an EXERCISE.”

Cork County Council has a detailed protocol for external emergencies at sites such as the Calor Gas plant, which is known as a Seveso establishment: “an establishment which has an activity linked to handling, manufacturing, using or storing dangerous substances.” The Calor Gas centre in Tivoli is regarded as an “upper tier” Seveso establishment by the council.

According to the Cork County Council Major Emergency Plan “An Garda Síochána, the Health Service Executive and Cork County Council are the PRA’s charged with managing the response to emergency situations which arise at a local level in Cork County Councils functional area.”

Seveso establishments also have a system in place for warning the public about any emergencies that may arise, usually through a community siren.

However, if you are in the vicinity tomorrow, you can rest assured that the emergency is a drill, and that there is no danger.