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? .

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Legislation must be in place for club owners to provide adequate safety for its patrons.. Sprinkler systems, smoke detectors, emergency lighting and multiple egress routes must be provided in addition to firealarms with both audio and visual indication .. Grandfathering in older establishments on these regulations must be abolished or the public must be made aware that at the building entrance in bold type that certain safety provisions are not in place..Indoor pyrotechnic displays should be outlawed or very strictly controlled.. The public that patronizes establishments should observe fire exits upon entering the premises so they have an escape route in the event of a fire etc. Having observed the R.I. tragedy I feel there was very little the concertgoer could have done in the situation and the responsibility lies squarely upon the shoulders of the band, the building owners and the sadly antiquated fire safety laws.. My condolences to the victims and their friends and families... Ray

Ray, Carver

My thoughts and prayers go out to the families who have lost someone in this tragedy. What we are left with are "should have's" and "would have's". In my day, clubs were crowded, but there was never fireworks or fire shows at concerts. I have a teenager and now I am nervous about what will happen to her when she is old enough to attend a concert. I don't worry about the drugs, because I trust her good judgement, but when it comes to crowds and pandamonium, it is just pure luck if someone survives. It's easy for someone to say the first thing you shouldn't do is not panic, but what do you do if everyone else is trampling over you to safety. Hopefully, we will learn something from this tragedy so that it won't happen again.

Robin, Waltham

First of all, what happened last night in Rhode Island was horrific and my sympathy goes out to all of those injured and the families of those lost. I am still in shock! As a person who frequently goes to concerts at Boston area clubs, I was horrified to see how difficult it is to exit a venue in the event of an emergency. Clearly, this should never have happned. However, I do believe our code enforcers must create tough standards and enforce them (especially on safety) when it comes to clubs with large populations of people in crowded areas. Plus, the fact that we're at WAR makes large venues potential targets for terrorists. Recommendation: First, I would like to see any venue that holds live concerts or a significant number of people for dancing, drinking, etc. to make their exits BIGGER. Instead of ONE door in each corner. Make the doors 2 or 3 times the size. Plus, emergency lighting on the floors might help in the event of smoke problems. As you can see, most of us are speaking out of emotion right now. Over time, there will be many of other great ideas flowing on how to have fun and be safe at the same time. Thanks for listening! Jeff

Jeffrey , Watertown

I guess the message I get this week given this tragedy and the fumbled transplant at Duke is that , we can never assume that the people in charge know what they are doing. I could not believe the film I saw of the giant sparklers about 3 feet from the ceiling in that club. What were these people thinking ??? Were they on drugs ?? This band should be held criminally responsible for such a thoughtless, reckless, idiotic act. My heart goes out to all the families who have lost their loved ones in this senseless and very avoidable tragedy.

Paul, Kingston

I believe reactive surveys like these although bring attention to something that requires it, only confirms our social system which ignores acting proactive and instead only reacts to incidents and actions after its too late.

Bob, Arlington

Thoughts for all the affected families... as for the rest of us (esp. college town) - think about the clubs you go to here in this highly educated city and about how you normally exit...up a flight of stairs? through a couple of narrow doors?...I think about the near-stampede just after shows end sometimes - *without* any fire - just human nature - not good. what can you do?

clubgoer, boston

To those of you who think that if the patrons of The Station had kept a cool head and "taken care of themselves to the best of their ability", not as many people would have died or been injured, I would like to say this: You were not in the club when this tragedy took place. You were not there when the confusion set in. You were not, in an instant, lost in a sea of frantic people in the pitch black. You did not get separated from your friend or loved one. You were not forced to breath in thick, toxic smoke. Your body was not on fire. How can you even THINK for one moment that you would know what to do in that situation? People jumped out of windows that were 60 stories up during the World Trade Center attacks. My point is that you just dont know what you would do if your life was in jeopardy. I am saddened with the knowledge that some of you feel this way about the people who lost their lives last night. Shame on you.

Amy, Everett

I know what it is like to be in the middle of an inferno, my deepest sympathies goes out to the victims and their families. What happened in Rhode Island is almost the same civilians experience during a bombing, let's just use common sense and live together in peace!

KN, Winchester

Great White Should go to Jail! There Music is horribe too!!

hogan, Braintree,Ma

Ban all pyrotechnics in any building.

Florrie, Paso Robles, CA 93446