PASADENA, CA, US, May 16, 2022

As a rapidly growing company Meridian Rapid Defense Group is hiring, and what better place to look than the recent Community Job Fair in Pasadena, California.

During the day, several hundred people arrived to speak with representatives of more than 30 companies, nonprofits, and government agencies about job prospects. As a bonus for the attendees, the event was held in the locker room of Pasadena’s historic Rose Bowl Stadium, where photos and mementos of past great games and concerts line the walls.

Meridian is seeking people to work in all facets of the security business. Peter Whitford, Meridian CEO, explained that recent security breaches at heavily attended events around the world have created a call for a greater emphasis on crowd safety.

“We are experiencing a huge spike in demand for our products, in particular our Archer 1200 Mobile Barrier and the Archer Beam Gate and quite simply we need more good people to join us,” said Mr. Whitford.

“Police and event planners really like how the barriers can be easily moved into place by just one person. And that does away with the need for the long unsightly concrete barriers which, as you know, that need heavy lifting equipment to place them,” he said.

The event was planned by Pasadena Councilmember, Tyron Hampton in partnership with the Foothill Workforce Development Board.

“I had been driving around and seeing ‘we are hiring’ signs in stores and other businesses,” he said. “So, I thought rather than job seekers having to go to every different storefront, let’s get companies looking for employees all under one roof for a day.”

“And what better roof to get under than the iconic locker room here at the Rose Bowl.”

Meridian shared the room with others including FEDEX, Huntington Hospital, Trader Joe’s, the Marines, the Langham Hotel and the City of Pasadena.

Meridian can proudly say its largest contract each year is rolling out its Archer Barriers to close off every cross street during the annual Rose Parade. A ring of Archer Barriers creates a five-mile-long secure zone for the hundreds of thousands of parade-goers and the participants.

Councilmember Hampton said, “The Rose Parade and Rose Bowl are the biggest events we do in the city, so we are really happy that Meridian is out here today explaining the role they play in keeping people safe on that day.”

“Those barriers must be put out by somebody and that’s a job some people don’t think about until they come here today and find out Meridian is looking for people to do just that, as well as work in other parts of the company. We’re very grateful for Meridian being here and supporting and hiring the local community,” he said.

Meridian Archer 1200 Barriers are “SAFETY Act Certified” by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) providing the ultimate standard in keeping people, communities and places safer. For more information about Meridian Rapid Defense Group and the Archer 1200 vehicle barrier visit www.meridian-barrier.com.

“While the old style concrete barriers block free movement of crowds, the Archer 1200 creates an even more secure location and each barrier is spaced so the fans can get in and out without a problem.”— Peter Whitford, Meridian CEO

DOVER, DE, US, May 6, 2022

Chase Elliott in his No. 9 Chevrolet had a very good day on May 2nd with a big win at Dover Motor Speedway. Also at the NASCAR event, Meridian Rapid Defense Group debuted its Archer 1200 mobile barriers as part of the overall security plan.

And while there was a rain delay, moving the race completion to Monday, there was no delay in getting the Archer barriers in and out. The mobility of the barriers, despite weighing over 700 lbs. each, ensured the roadway was cleared and traffic was moving freely soon after event.

“For this particular plan the Archer barriers were set up on the roadway leading to the track which was also the route emergency vehicles could use in the case of a serious accident,” said Meridian CEO Peter Whitford.

Prior to race day Meridian worked with the Dover Motor Speedway security team to prepare a fully certified vehicle safety mitigation plan so on the day it was a quick and secure lockdown.

The Archer 1200 Barrier is crash tested and SAFETY Act Certified. The act provides Federal Government full liability protection for all users, in the case of an act of terrorism, domestic or foreign.

Meridian Rapid Defense Group and its Archer barriers and beam gates are now a common sight at sporting events around America. Major League Soccer, NBA and NFL are all using the mobile barriers. Major league baseball clubs have also found the barriers useful for creating safe pedestrian zones outside their stadiums.

Race winner Chase Elliott said, “I Just appreciate all the effort. But thanks to all the fans for coming out. You’re always awesome. Hope to see this big crowd here next year.”

Mr. Whitford explained how the Meridian safety plan is all about protecting those big crowds. “Too many times recently we have witnessed tragic events where cars have accidentally, or sadly in a few cases on purpose, been driven into crowds. Our barriers are the perfect fix to create those safe zones for people to move freely into the event,” he said. “While the old style large concrete barriers actually block free movement of crowds, the Archer barrier creates an even more secure location and each barrier is spaced so the fans can get in and out without a problem.”

Meridian Archer 1200 Barriers are “SAFETY Act Certified” by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) providing the ultimate standard in keeping people, communities, and places safer. For more information about Meridian Rapid Defense Group and the Archer 1200 vehicle barrier visit www.meridian-barrier.com

SURPRISE, AZ, US, April 14, 2022

The start of baseball season has brought new calls for increased safety for fans attending games. MeridianRapid Defense Group is playing a major role in that, most recently at spring training in Surprise, Arizona for the Kansas City Royals and the Texas Rangers.

Working alongside the Surprise Police Department, Meridian created a pedestrian plaza at Surprise Stadium using more than 20 mobile Archer Barriers. The vehicle free zone at the entrance to the stadium enabled crowds to walk safely from parking areas into a fan zone and then into the grounds.

Surprise Police Officer Barry Bre’dell Jr. said, “Our main purpose for upgrading our security is to ensure we provide the safest experience to our citizens as they participate in the various events taking place in our city. To anticipate and prepare for potential incidents we wanted to add an additional layer of protection enhancing our overall readiness.”

Meridian CEO Peter Whitford explained how the unique design of the Meridian Archer 1200 Barrier has encouraged other baseball teams to make use of them at every home game. “Teams such as the New York Yankees, the Tampa Bay Rays, the Colorado Rockies and the Chicago White Sox have all decided to go with our barriers,” he said.

“It’s all about the ease of use. For stadium security officers, with so many other safety issues to deal with, the fact that the Archer 1200 Barrier can be quickly wheeled into place and just as easily moved off after the game, is a major plus,” said Mr. Whitford.

The Archer 1200 Barrier is crash tested and SAFETY Act certified. This Act provides Federal Government full liability protection for all users in the case of an act of terrorism, domestic or foreign.

Prior to the stadium “safe zone” being established, Meridian worked with the police department to create a fully certified vehicle safety mitigation plan. 

“The ease of deployment and the strength these barriers provide were definite factors which played into the selection process,” said Officer Bre’dell Jr. “Once the decision was made to go with Meridian, we were given top notch customer service and we look forward to the future use of these safety devices.”

The city will also use the barriers throughout the year at other outdoor events including the Christmas parade.

Meridian Archer 1200 Barriers are “SAFETY Act Certified” by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) providing the ultimate standard in keeping people, communities and places safer. For more information about Meridian Rapid Defense Group and the Archer 1200 vehicle barrier visit www.meridian-barrier.com.

PARK CITY, UT, US, April 6, 2022

It was time to celebrate the return of Olympians and Paralympians, and Utah’s “Ski Capital”, Park City, did it in style with a parade through its historic streets. To ensure everyone’s safety, Meridian Rapid Defense Group rolled out its highly mobile Archer 1200 Barriers, effectively shutting down the parade route to all but those taking part in the parade. 

The procession of 66 skiers, lugers and biathletes who competed in the Beijing Winter Olympics was cheered on by thousands of local people lining Main Street. 

Jenny Diersen, Park City Special Events and Economic Development Program Manager, said “We posted the closure at one o’clock to give people time to get a cup of coffee or drop their skis off. We do the hard closure at four o’clock.” 

That was when the Meridian barriers were rolled into place, and soon after the parade was underway. 

“These barriers of ours are ideal for just this sort of event,” said Eric Alms, Meridian President. “We are hearing from many cities now who have heard how easily the Archer barriers can be moved in and out. 

“They tell us, while they want total parade protection, they want it to be the sort of protection that doesn’t take hours or sometimes days to set up, which disrupts local traffic and that’s what our barriers do,” said Mr. Alms. 

The Archer 1200 Barriers are 700 lbs. of U.S. made steel, yet because of their unique design can be easily moved by one person. In Park City within minutes of the Olympian parade being over, the barriers were wheeled away and the streets reopened to traffic. 

As is always the case, before the event Meridian worked with the city and parade organizers to prepare a fully certified vehicle safety mitigation plan. This ensures everyone agrees on the security plan well before the event. 

The Olympians said they enjoyed hearing the crowd’s cheers, which they said was so nice after two Olympics where, because of COVID restrictions, crowds were not allowed. 

Meridian Archer 1200 Barriers are “SAFETY Act Certified” by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) providing the ultimate standard in keeping people, communities and places safer.  For more information about Meridian Rapid Defense Group and the Archer 1200 vehicle barrier visit  www.meridian-barrier.coM 

VENTURA, CA, USA, March 16, 2022

People attending the annual St Patrick’s Day Parade in Ventura, California, had a silent and strong protector watching over them for the first time in the history of the popular event.

This year Meridian Rapid Defense Group secured every cross street and entry point to the parade route using its highly rated Archer 1200 mobile barriers. The mobility of the barriers made it possible for Meridian’s deployment teams to wheel more than 170 barriers into place shortly before the start of the event.

“Safety is the main reason,” said Sergeant Mike Brown from the Ventura Police Department.

“In the past we’ve used Type 1, 2 and 3 barricades but they really don’t protect the public or the parade participants from some driver who might be confused or under the influence of alcohol or drugs and then drive onto the parade route. So, the safety of the participants in this parade is our paramount concern,” he said.

This year the parade took a slightly different route avoiding part of main street which, since the start of the pandemic, has been turned into a pedestrian plaza. From day one, Meridian’s Archer 1200 Barriers have also been part of securing that section of the city.

Peter Whitford, Meridian CEO, supervised Saturday’s roll out of the Archer 1200 Barriers. “It is wonderful to see so many people back on the streets in the Ventura sunshine today,” he said. “We’re proud that we will be even more involved here now that we have entered into a service agreement with the city for the many outdoor events in the area.”

Parade participant Jean Wheeler said, “The route is different because they’ve got downtown blocked off because of walkers which is nice too. So that’s OK.”

After last year’s parade was cancelled due to the pandemic, thousands of people were back on Ventura’s streets to watch the show with the theme “One World, One Air, We All Share.” In the weeks leading up to the parade Meridian worked with the city and parade organizers to prepare a fully certified vehicle safety mitigation plan.

Just the day before the Ventura parade, an SUV crashed into the outdoor seating area of a popular Greek restaurant in Washington, D.C. killing two women and injuring at least six others.

“Those are exactly the type of things we keep in mind,” said Sgt. Brown. “We are thinking of the safety of our citizens and our parade and to be able to mitigate those types of dangers. So Meridian was a clear choice for us because of the simplicity of the design.”

“The Meridian team has been absolutely awesome to work with. They’re easy, they’re professional and their attention to detail is incredible. At the police department we are very precise about where we need barriers, and the Meridian team could not have been a better choice.”

Meridian Archer 1200 Barriers are “SAFETY Act Certified” by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) providing the ultimate standard in keeping people, communities and places safer. For more information about Meridian Rapid Defense Group and the Archer 1200 vehicle barrier visit www.meridian-barrier.com.

INGLEWOOD, CA, USA, February 16, 2022

With large crowds turning up in Los Angeles for Super Bowl celebrations, Meridian Rapid Defense Group was there to play its role in keeping people safe. Meridian’s mobile Archer 1200 Barriers were brought into play at the NFL Honors Ceremony at SOFI Stadium where star players arrived to celebrate the end of another successful year. Aaron Rodgers, Cooper Kupp and Tom Brady were just some of the players walking the red carpet, secured in part by strategically placed barriers.

Meridian also took a major role in securing the nearby streets of Inglewood for the “Taste of Inglewood”, an annual 3-day family friendly street festival. The Inglewood PD called on Meridian once again to supply barriers and beam gates for this event which attracted people from all over the world who were also coming to enjoy the nearby Super Bowl. “With people flying in from all over the U.S. it was important everyone could enjoy the thrill of attending Super Bowl week celebrations safely,” said Meridian CEO Peter Whitford. “We were proud to have been chosen to help out with that. Both our mobile Archer 1200 Barriers and our Archer Beam Gates were the right fit for all the events.”

The previous weekend Meridian was on duty again for the NFL at the 2022 Pro Bowl Game in Las Vegas. Meridian took on the major job of creating a safe pedestrian zone for the tens of thousands of fans attending the game. Once again Archer mobile barriers and several Archer Beam Gates were placed in such a way that people could walk freely, in and out of the pedestrian only areas, without the possibility of a vehicle entering and threatening their safety.

Beforehand Meridian team members work with event organizers to create a thorough and fully certified safety mitigation plan. Cities, police and emergency services find that the ease of maneuverability of the Archer 1200 Barriers is a big advantage when planning their security perimeters.

The Archer 1200 Barrier weighs 700 lbs. but because of its unique design can be easily moved by one person. It is designed to stop a vehicle without injuring the driver or others nearby and it is rapidly taking over the role of the long concrete barriers which, often incorrectly, are placed to stop a car or truck hitting it head on.
Arnetta Mack from the LA South Chamber of Commerce explained what a thrill it was to have so many people from other states visit the area.

“We want folks to know that there are other places in Los Angeles to go, other places to shop and eat and spend their money besides places like Hollywood and the beach,” she said. “It’s certainly been a really busy time for the company with all the NFL related events,“ said Mr. Whitford. “Last week at the Pro Bowl Game in Las Vegas we were proud to have been selected to establish the security perimeter using our barriers and beam gates. Then our focus turned to the Super Bowl weekend.”

Meridian Archer 1200 Barriers are “SAFETY Act Certified” by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) providing the ultimate standard in keeping people, communities and places safer. For more information about Meridian Rapid Defense Group and the Archer 1200 vehicle barrier visit www.meridian-barrier.com.

“We were 100% better than we were at the last half marathon. We are still addressing what might have been weak spots and that’s something we’re talking with Meridian about already.”— George Cunningham, Rose Bowl COO

PASADENA, CA, US, January 19, 2022

Thousands of runners and spectators participated safely in the 2022 Rose Bowl Half Marathon and 5K Run thanks in part to security provided by barriers and beam gates supplied by Meridian Rapid Defense Group.

Prior to the event, working alongside Rose Bowl employees, Meridian mapped out a safety mitigation plan to ensure that no vehicle could threaten the runners or the large number of spectators. Sixty Archer 1200 Barriers, and this year for the first time, three of Meridian’s unique Archer Beam Gates were set up to ensure a safe and secure event.

George Cunningham, COO of the Rose Bowl said, “Every year you try to get better and find your weaknesses, so we decided this year that more areas that we were responsible for, needed to be protected. To make that happen we also had three of Meridian’s beam gates which allowed us to have more control over the parking lots.”

The Archer Beam Gates are an exclusive design. They are easily assembled by two people in less than 30 minutes and do not require any power source, yet the heavy-duty net can trap a vehicle that tries to get into a secured zone intentionally or by accident.

“You can never over plan safety precautions for these types of events,” said Eric Alms, Meridian President. “In the recent past we have seen some shocking incidents where cars were driven into crowds and that’s why we are seeing event organizers taking extra precautions these days. They’re finding our barriers and beam gates to be the right fix.”

Mr. Cunningham explained that the beam gates at the Rose Bowl provided the ideal replacement for areas where they would have used barriers in the past. He pointed out that having them there resulted in a lot less physical labor for his staff.

“We were 100% better than we were at the last half marathon. We are still addressing what might have been weak spots and that’s something we’re talking with Meridian about already. Every year you learn a little bit more and we’re getting better,” said Mr. Cunningham.

Meridian Archer 1200 Barriers are “SAFETY Act Certified” by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) providing the ultimate standard in keeping people, communities and places safer. For more information about Meridian Rapid Defense Group and the Archer 1200 vehicle barrier visit www.meridian-barrier.com

“We plan for the worst and hope for the best, if you’re not planning for the worst type of incident, you’re not preparing your event to be successful”— George Cunningham, Rose Bowl COO

PASADENA, CA, US, January 13, 202

Big crowds and newly introduced COVID restrictions made for a very different 2022 Rose Bowl game. So too did the addition of extra security to include even more of Meridian Rapid Defense Group’s highly praised products, namely the Archer Beam Gate and the Archer 1200 Barrier.

Securing the Rose Bowl, which is situated in a wide-open parklike location and backed up by a golf course, presents unique challenges for Rose Bowl COO George Cunningham and his staff. This year Meridian brought in six Archer Beam Gates to complement the 110 Archer 1200 Barriers to secure the site.

“We plan for the worst and hope for the best,” said Mr. Cunningham. “If you’re not planning for the worst type of incident, you’re not preparing your event to be successful.”

Large vehicles including the team buses for Ohio State and Utah and TV production trucks needed quick and often repetitive access to the location. In addition to that, the 88,000 fans on foot and the need for secure traffic lanes became obvious.

“With our wide variation of events at the Rose Bowl there are a lot of changes that have to happen every year,” said Mr. Cunningham. “And having fixed structures doesn’t allow for the flexibility we need. With the Meridian beam gates, we really appreciate their function of ease and how they are specifically designed for adaptation.”

Meridian CEO Peter Whitford said, “The Rose Bowl game and the Rose Parade on the same day, where incidentally, we deployed more than 600 barriers on the parade route, was a huge undertaking. At the Rose Bowl the beam gates, which don’t require power and can be easily moved by two people, provided the perfect solution.”

In the weeks leading up to the New Year’s Day events Meridian’s safety specialists worked with Mr. Cunningham’s team to prepare a fully certified vehicle safety mitigation plan.

Mr. Cunningham said, “With the beam gate and the Archer Barriers, which you can shift, you have the capability of creating different flow patterns and that’s a great system to have. And you have the ability to rapidly, within minutes, move them for any type of emergency or change in plans.”

Both the Archer Beam Gates and Archer 1200 Barriers are manufactured in the U.S. The barrier is easily moved by one person despite weighing over 700 lbs and crash tested to the highest Homeland Security standards.

Mr. Whitford said, “Once again it was a real pleasure to play a prominent part in the security plan at this major event. I’d like to thank the Rose Bowl Operating Company for continuing to put their trust in Meridian Rapid Defense Group and I wish them well in this, their centenary year.”

Meridian Archer 1200 Barriers are “SAFETY Act Certified” by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) providing the ultimate standard in keeping people, communities and places safer.

“We had many features of security and safety throughout the parade. Once again, we welcomed the world to Pasadena, and we wanted to ensure that everyone was taking care of one another.”— John Perez, Pasadena Chief of Police

PASADENA, CA, USA, January 2, 2022

“Our number one priority is the safety of all of our guests and volunteers,” said Pasadena Tournament of Roses CEO David Eads. 

For that reason, the Rose Parade and the Rose Bowl game had the tightest security ever. The entire route of the parade and the game afterwards was encircled by more than 600 mobile Archer 1200 barriers brought in by Meridian Rapid Defense Group. They were also there to protect the Command Center at City Hall as well as the Float Fest where fans could tour the floats up close after the event. 

Recent tragic events have shown again how important it is to create a safe place for parade participants, as well as the estimated 600,000 parade attendees along Pasadena’s Colorado Boulevard. 

Pasadena Police Chief John Perez said, “We had many features of security and safety throughout the parade. Once again, we welcomed the world to Pasadena, and we wanted to ensure that everyone was taking care of one another.” 

Meridian CEO Peter Whitford explained how the company brought in the highly mobile barriers from all over the United States for this one big day of events.  Mr. Whitford said, “At all the intersections along the parade route we placed our specially designed Archer steel barriers, which can stop a vehicle from breaking through and getting onto the parade route. In the past they have used concrete barriers which need heavy equipment to lower into place, while the Archer barriers are easily wheeled into position by just one person. I’m proud to say that our barriers have been given the highest certification by the Department of Homeland Security.” 

“Later in the day over at the Rose Bowl game fans saw even more of our barriers and beam gates,” said Eric Alms, Meridian’s President. “Our deployment experts worked with the city and event organizers for some weeks to prepare a fully certified vehicle safety mitigation plan for the events. It’s certainly worth being over-prepared when you have massive crowds like that all pouring into the city on this one day.” 

The Archer 1200 Barriers are designed to be highly mobile. Prior to the start of the parade the hundreds of barriers were quickly wheeled across the intersections. They are designed in such a way that they form a secure barrier against a vehicle, yet people could walk easily and unobstructed past them to the parade route. Once the event was over, in a matter of minutes, they were just as quickly moved away, allowing traffic to flow again. 

“With thousands of people along the parade route, safety was our top priority,” said Pasadena Fire Chief, Chad Augustin. 

Meridian Archer 1200 Barriers are “SAFETY Act Certified” by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) providing the ultimate standard in keeping people, communities and places safer.  For more information about Meridian Rapid Defense Group and the Archer 1200 vehicle barrier visit www.meridian-barrier.com  

“Whether it’s an intentional act or an accidental act, with our parade we set out to provide the maximum amount of security for the people who are going to be watching or taking part in the parade”— Sgt. Moe Duran

US, December 15, 2021

Thousands of people filled the streets of Upland, California, for the annual Christmas Parade, safe in the knowledge that the downtown area was protected by vehicle barriers supplied by Meridian Rapid Defense Group. 

The Upland Police Department worked with Meridian for weeks beforehand to ensure that the entire area of the parade route was secure from any possible vehicle intrusion. 

Following the Christmas parade tragedy in Waukesha, Wisconsin, where a driver purposely drove into the parade killing six people and injuring another 60, authorities worldwide have realized the importance of establishing a secure zone for such events. 

Sgt. “Moe” Duran from Upland Police said, “Whether it’s an intentional act or an accidental act, with our parade we set out to provide the maximum amount of security for the people who are going to be watching or taking part in the parade.” 

Before the event Meridian worked with Upland Police and city staff to prepare a fully certified vehicle safety mitigation plan which resulted in all intersections and locations, where a vehicle could enter, being guarded by Meridian’s unique mobile Archer 1200 vehicle barriers. 

“One of the things I like about these barriers is that they’re aesthetically pleasing,” said Sgt. Duran. “They’re not a soreness to the eye. They don’t look like the long concrete K Rails, and it doesn’t look like you’re driving into a battle bunker area.” 

Peter Whitford, Meridian CEO said, “Upland is just one of the many parades we are protecting these days. Over the years, I’m proud to say, we have become the ‘go to’ team for cities to help to ensure their parade is as safe as it is enjoyable. Small or large parades, such as Pasadena’s Rose Parade, we do them all.” 

The Meridian Archer 1200 Barrier is crash tested, Department of Homeland Security approved, and while weighing 700 lbs of American made steel its unique mobile design allows it to be quickly moved into position by just one person. 

Sgt. Duran said, “The staff at Meridian have been great. We called them and asked for their advice. They shot us over the information. When we saw how the barrier worked, they then came out and demoed the product to show us how easy it is to move. And then they helped us set up and train our people.” 

Meridian staff arrived before dawn on the day of the parade and quickly established the parade safety zone. Within a half an hour of the event winding up, the mobility of the barriers allowed the Upland downtown area to be reopened and it was soon business as usual. 

“My recommendation for any organization that’s going to be responsible for putting on an event and providing security is that they use the best tools to keep intrusions out,” said Sgt. Duran. 

Meridian Archer 1200 Barriers are “SAFETY Act Certified” by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) providing the ultimate standard in keeping people, communities and places safer.  For more information about Meridian Rapid Defense Group and the Archer 1200 vehicle barrier visit  www.meridian-barrier.com .