Communicate first, think later. That was Virginia Tech spokesman Larry Hincker's advice to campus security officials from all across Virginia who gathered in Richmond on Monday.

Hincker said it was important for universities to let their campuses know what's going on quickly, or face the consequences later.

Virginia Tech officials were criticized for not alerting students, faculty and staff that two people had been killed in a dormitory early on April 16, 2007. More than two hours later, officials sent out an e-mail about a "shooting incident" on campus just about the time the gunman opened fire in a classroom building, killing 30 others and himself.

Hincker spoke at the Governor's Campus Preparedness Conference at Virginia Commonwealth University.