In the wake of last night's fatal fire at a Rhode Island nightclub and a stampede earlier this week at a Chicago venue, safety measures at clubs nationwide will likely be reevaluated. What measures should be taken in Boston to ensure the safety of its nightspots? What lessons can be learned -- by venue owners and concertgoers alike -- in terms of safety at clubs? .

Page 13

1) It should be mandatory for clubs at the beginning of every hour to announce where there exits are, 2) Pyrotechnics should be out-lawed, 3) Water sprinklers should be mandatory regarless of the clubs size, 4) Every club should have double wide exit doors, 5)Floor lighting should be required and 6) most importantly as a patron know your surroundings. Now is not the time to blame. All of our thoughts should be with the victims family and friends.

Bryan, Lowell

How about a little "common sense"?

Cynthia, Weymouth

My prayers go out to all who lost loved ones, or had injuries. I cannot begin to tell the number of time I have been to clubs and had no idea of the exit routes. I am dismayed that the first converastion revolves around who to blame. There is a time and place to talk about this, but today is not that day.

Jeff, New bedford

The club fire in Warwick and the club stampede in Chicago could have both been easily prevented. The laws in place were violated for both clubs. No permits or fire marshalls there for the fire in Warwick, and a club opened illegally in Chicago with LOCKED doors. These are tragedies due to pure ignorance of the people running the clubs. My heart goes out to the victims and families, a harmless night at a club with some friends turns tragic.

Chico, Boston

These events are terribly sad and make me angry. In my opinion both could have been avoided with some powerful common sense. Fire prevention methods ie (sprinkler systems and fire extinguishers) should always be available, up to date and working, no exceptions. Working staff should know where they are and how to use them. There should be strict adherence to building fire codes. More common sense will tell you that there's no need to use pepper spray in a closed crowded building. 200lb Club bouncers don't need repellents to break up 2 women fighting. My sympathies go to the families and victims.

Mark, Saugus

It wasn't so much an issue of over-crowding in this case, but more that the available egress points weren't evenly used, causing a bottleneck in the best-known exit, the point where folks came in. My suggestions are 1) All club venues should begin events with an announcement of exit locations. 2) Strobe lights should be integrated into Exit signs so that verbal pre-show instructions can include "Look for the nearest flashing strobes." That type of distinctive lighting can be seen even thru thick smoke. 3) A higher concentration of Smoke detectors should be placed on/near/over stage areas due to the increased presence of combustibles (even w/o pyrotechnics, stage lighting can start fires). 4) A plug-in audio kill-switch should be a part of a venue's fire alarm system that visiting bands can connect to. If smoke is detected, the band's music is shut off and replaced by an emergency announcement or alarm tone. This way, no one wastes time, possibly thinking the fire was part of the show. 5) Front walls of night clubs should be made like existing heavy duty emergency fire doors. In emergencies, however, they would go from "closed" mode acting as walls, to rolling open either up or to the side, allowing wide "thru-wall" areas for exiting. This is even better than a bank of outward-opening doors. This is a shame that 60 years after Cocoanut Grove, this type of thing can still happen. The possibility should be ERADICATED with the right policy, enforcement and cheap, common technology!

Andre, Boston, MA

I am stunned that any facility that is open to the public is not required by law to have a working sprinkler system, as well as readily available fire extinguishers.

Karen, Newburyport

My heart goes out to all the lives lost. I love to go out to dance clubs/concerts. Sprinklers should be installed in every club and people should know where the exits are before entering.

Marcy, Somerville

It's time to take a long hard look at other clubs. Fire Exits, sprinkler systems, and the permits that the Clubs should have on hand before another tragic accident happens. I don't think that Fireworks should be allowed.

Debbie, Maynard

Oh no. I just hope this doesn't turn into one of those media frenzies like we had with the "Shark Attacks" last summer. Clubs don't trample people...people trample people.

BC, Boston