On Monday morning, school and public safety leaders met at the Westmoreland County Community College to talk about school safety, a growing conversation after a school shooting in a Texas elementary school back in May. Organizers of the '2022 School Safety and Security Symposium' said this was their first year in person. It came nearly three weeks after the deadly mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Joe Rice, an organizer of the symposium, highlighted the importance of collaboration. "Meeting other people who work in the same field, knowing who to turn to when you're experiencing problems," he said. "Understanding what proper planning and preparation looks like and how to set that up for success for yourself in the future." Cassandra Kovatch, public information officer for Westmoreland County Public Safety, was a speaker at the symposium on Monday. She spoke to Pittsburgh's Action News 4 about the importance of preparedness. "Whether it's for severe weather. Whether it's for crisis incident across the board, it's important that everyone's prepared," Kovatch said. 'The Role of Threat Management' and 'Managing After School Incidents' were a couple of the topics covered by speakers, including a retired FBI agent with threat management experience and the current school superintendent for Jeannette schools. In 2019, a fatal shooting took place at the football stadium.Rice, a school safety and security coordinator for the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit, shared the key to keeping schools safe. "It has to be well-rounded," he said. "It can't just be any one particular area because as soon as you do you leave yourself exposed in other areas."Rice said they will have a symposium next year. To stay updated, click here.