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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As a native RIer, my thoughts are with you all.

Chris, San Francisco

The people who take tickets or the bouncers should inform people on the way in where the doors are, and patrons should look around so they know the best exit. This is a good habit to be in, in any public place: movies, planes, hotels, clubs, and even at home, where there may only be a few seconds between tragedy and avoiding it.

AS, Boston

I totally can't believe all those posts blaming the band, saying Great White should go to jail, etc. Have a little courtesy people...Ty Longley (guitarist for Great White) is among the missing and presumed dead. Also they said that Great White's sound man is in a hospital with major burns all over his body. The band is suffering just like everyone else who has lost a friend or family member. Give them a freakin break.

Julie, Reading

Venues with groups of people NEED OBVIOUS fire exits .. crowd control personnel ... NO fire shows --- What a tragedy.

Polly, San Antonio, TX

All public venues should be required to have fire safety measures such as sprinkler systems, flame retardant "fire board" ceilings, distress-call fire alarm systems and multiple, clearly-marked and well-illuminated exit ways.

m, mansfield, ma

All Clubs should clearly display or post a floor plan at their main entrance that clearly points out all emergency exits in the building. Lighted signs over doors are of no use when power is no longer working or when black smoke blinds you. Ultimately it is up to all of us to make ourselves aware of the nearest exit to safety no matter where we are, such as a club, restaurant, or movie theaters. My heart and prays go out to the family’s of the lost and injured, in this terrible tragedy.

Van, Ashburnham

My thoughts and prayers to the families of all the victims, a sad tragedy that the unfortunate families are left to deal with. But when I read everyone's inputs about where to place blame, and what kind of new laws need to be put on the books, I get upset. Because you can call the band and the club owners stupid, you can lay all the blame you want on whomever you want, and you can enact all the laws you want. But until we take responsibility for our own actions and our own safety, these things will unfortunately continue to haunt us. People need to take responsibility for making more prudent decisions, like maybe staying away from match box buildings and concerts that are so overcrowded that you can't even move. Until people use simple common sense and take responsibility for their own actions and safety, you can enact all the laws you want - but history will only repeat.

Jack, Boston

The kind of people that run nightclubs, in my experience, don't really give a hoot about public safety. They care about their money and their image as hip "players." I wonder how much forethought actually occurs at these places. Scores of wrongful death suits will result from the Chicago and the W Warwick incidents. This is such a sad thing. Preventable. Unimaginable. Let's just hope some good comes out of this nightmare, and that future lives are saved due to diligence and resposiblity adopted hereafter.

Peter, Boston

Go through the whole safety routine as with aeroplanes at the start of the gig. Encourage people to vacate the premises calmly in the event of an emergency. Rewrite the contracts so that bands MUST inform clubs of their intention to use pyrotechnics, thus allowing the owners to veto this if design of building is inappropriate/dangerous for such effects. Install sprinkler systems in clubs. Have a site limit for number of people allowed to attend for safety (some clubs are greedy) which is strictly adhered to or clubs lose their licence to operate as a business. Have battery operated megaphones and available for use by staff along with emergency lighting. Train all staff for emergency evacuations. I was very sorry to hear about this tragedy and extend my sympathy to all concerned.

Penny, Melbourne, Australia

My thoughts on this is the obvious,Terrible Terrible Terrible. To have any Pyrotecnics inside any building is pretty ridiculous nevermind Dangerous.With all the warnings about Fireworks it just seems Absurd that one would allow them to be indoors,COMMON SENSE seems to be what I'm thinking wasn't used. So that something like this doesn't happen again an Emergency Bill should be put into Law that All clubs have entrances that would allow an efficient escape in an emergency,well lit no matter what the entertainment is. People loose sense of direction and panic in emergency situations.I am in the glass business and when ever I go into any public building I look for a way out in case of an emergency,Every Person should do this! With past fires like Coconut Grove you would think We would learn but as what happened in Chicago last week and now Rhode Island it just seems We might never. All clubs should have atleast 1 set of Double doors with panic hardware so that the public might not panic and push one another thru the opening,and other single emergency exits. The government should really do something so that this doesn't ever happen no matter what the cost,it seems that owners of these structures don't think of "what ifs" and they always seem to happen.

Bob Bryant, Wilmington