COLUMBIA, MD -- Emergency vehicles and personnel fanned out around the Columbia lakefront Sunday morning. Police said that the drill was designed to prepare Howard County first responders for an active shooter.

The drill took place in a vacant building on the lakefront, near Whole Foods. Officers used their training, which calls for quickly entering the building and stopping a threat, police said. The active shooter exercise lasted from approximately 10 a.m. to noon, officials said.

Both police and the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services participated in the drill. "Both departments worked together in teams to practice extraction and rescue of wounded victims," the Howard County Police Department said in a statement. "Police and rescue personnel will continue to train to ensure that they are prepared to handle emergencies in Howard County."