The West Warwick fire has club owners popping up all over saying that when Great White played their clubs, GW didn't get permission for its pyrotechnic display.

My question is to those owners, including the owners of the club in RI, how could you not know? Why don't you have personnel monitoring a bands' stage set up? It's not trivial matter to put even a small pyrotechnics display on stage. It's not something a band can do in secret, if you're paying attention.

Club owners have a responsibility to ensure the safety of its patrons — the means monitoring performers, monitoring the backstage area, keeping halls clear, emergency exits clear and working, sprinkler systems working and constant preparedness. Is that really so hard?

Even though we know the West Warwick fire wasn't a terrorist attack, nightclubs have often been terrorist targets. In this day and age, club owners need to be especially vigilant.

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