Several Anne Arundel County agencies gathered Wednesday to simulate what they would do if there were a public shooting in Glen Burnie.

The exercise, which involved dozens of law enforcement, medical and fire personnel, was the largest the county has ever conducted, according to Office of Emergency Management Director Preeti Emrick.

"We're not just talking about it," she said. "We're doing it."

Inflatable gray dummies were scattered across the main hall of the Pascal Senior Center, creating a casualty scene for paramedics to perform triage, while a group of volunteers were escorted away from the building. Some with bloody makeup were ushered into ambulances and others, acting as uninjured witnesses, were patted down and taken into a bus.

Unlike sheltering drills -- the county's last simulation -- Wednesday's mockup included five locations, each with distinct functions. Local facilities and businesses acted as a directing site for emergency workers, different levels of care for victims and a place for families to either be reunited or given grave news.

As the exercise began, actors piled into the crime scene and were met by police officers calculating potential danger and paramedics evaluating injuries. Though the pretend shooter was "killed" in this scenario, the drill continued with a dispatch call to first responders already close by and included blood pressure checks on the dummies.

Officials observing and participating in the exercise said it was an opportunity to put into practice the lessons they learned from the 2018 attack on the Capital Gazette newsroom, which ended in the deaths of staffers Gerald Fischman, Rob Hiaasen, John McNamara, Rebecca Smith and Wendi Winters.

Jen Corbin, director of the Anne Arundel County Crisis Response System, said communication was key to the practice scenario.

She described law enforcement's response in 2018 as strong, but said transferring information between agencies and families could have been improved. Throughout the exercise, Corbin could be seen making phone calls or speaking into her shoulder microphone.

In the "0-2 hour" following a shooting, Corbin said offering medical care, a sense of safety and support to victims were her team's priorities, working with law enforcement "to carry the load until the other agencies can get into place."

Recognized internationally for its ability to support victims of trauma and secure mental health treatment for citizens in crisis, the Crisis Response Team was available to those transported from the senior center to the Arundel Christian Church, known in the drill as a "family information center."

The church has agreed to serve in a variety of scenarios, Emrick said, describing it as a "great community partner." She said the Glen Burnie house of worship was part of the county's disaster relief efforts following the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in March.

During a shooting event, authorities in the church would compile information on victims and notify family members. Those who are healthy would be reunited with relatives. However, different levels of the building would host different conversations. People being told of someone's death would be taken somewhere private.

The Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis also has a reunification process for victims, Emrick said, and simulated its own mass shooting plan Wednesday. Other participating locations included the county's Emergency Operation Center, which is also in Glen Burnie, and a nearby Rita's store where reporters would be sent.

Although Wednesday's drill took place in Glen Burnie, Emrick said different areas of the county have their own response plans, with partners willing to play their parts.