PASADENA, CA, UNITED STATES, January 10, 2019
Security was top of mind as anestimated 700,000 spectators lined the streets of Pasadena to view the 2019 Tournament of Roses Parade. Dozens of Meridian Rapid Defense Group’s Archer 1200 vehicle mitigation barriers were on hand to ensure that crowds had state-of-the-art defense from vehicle encroachment. Protection also extended to the Rose Bowl Game and float viewing areas immediately following the event.
The events draw attention on a worldwide stage and the Pasadena Police, Pasadena Fire and Department of Homeland Security coordinate on safety planning efforts.
“Our number one priority is the safety and security of all of our guests, participants and all others who play a part in the success of our events,” said David Eads, CEO of the Tournament of Roses, at the pre-event public safety press conference.
Flexible deployment and portability were key requirements in supporting the series of activities that began at dawn New Year’s Day and extended through January 3rd. Archer 1200 vehicle barriers deployed near the main grandstands at the start of the parade route needed to provide protection while efficiently allowing the flow of thousands of ticket holding pedestrians. In addition, the security perimeter needed to accommodate quick access for emergency vehicles. In fact, the Chinese American Heritage Foundation’s float required swift handling as it suffered a debilitating fire when it neared the bend in the route from Orange Grove to Colorado Boulevard. Vehicle barriers at the Rose Bowl Stadium also needed to allow for changing conditions.
“As you can imagine, there are a lot of moving parts to an event like this,” said Rose Bowl Stadium Chief Operating Officer George Cunningham. “We have a hundred thousand people to admit into the stadium, team buses that need access and thousands more enjoying the public FanFest on the Rose Bowl grounds. A security solution has to be not only effective but capable of adapting to a changing set of requirements as the event goes on.”
The Archer 1200 barriers are also outfitted with advertising placards used to promote the event and its sponsors. Visitors from Washington and Ohio in town to support teams in the Rose Bowl Game were eager to engage with the signage as fan photo ops. “I think they are great,” said Ohio State University supporter Brian Ingram. “You need to have security and these look like they would certainly do the job, but they also fit in like they belong.”
The Archer 1200 barrier is a certified solution meeting both U.S. and European standards of protection. It provides a vital alternative to ad hoc measures that are not tested for effectiveness. These include cement rails and plastic water barriers which are designed to keep cars on the freeway as well as public vehicles like trash trucks, fire engines, and squad cars. The latter poses a significant risk of equipment costs should an incident occur.
“We developed the Archer 1200 to fill an important need gap in urban security,” said Peter Whitford, CEO of Meridian Rapid Defense Group. “There simply is no product in the marketplace that performs to testing standards and delivers the flexibility and ease of deployment.”
