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 .

“I think I speak on behalf of my friends and it’s quite reassuring that these barriers are here to stop a car from driving in. You wouldn’t want to see a car get into the middle of that huge crowd.”— Marina Rodriguez, USC football fan. 

LOS ANGELES, CA, US, November 23, 2021

The annual Los Angeles cross-town rivalry game between USC and UCLA once again drew huge crowds to the USC campus for the traditional tailgate parties, and Meridian Rapid Defense Group was on hand to assist in ensuring a safe pre-game event.

The university is crisscrossed by wide walkways, which created a security issue for university authorities. To ensure no vehicles could enter the heavily crowded areas Archer 1200 mobile barriers were positioned at all entry points.

“We are finding more and more universities are deciding to use the Archer 1200 Barriers because of their mobility and the way they are a lot less intrusive than the old-style concrete barriers,” said Peter Whitford, Meridian’s CEO.

Marina Rodriguez, a USC fan, was walking to a tailgate party, saw the barriers and said, “I think I speak on behalf of my friends here and it’s quite reassuring that these barriers are here to stop a car from driving in. You sure wouldn’t want to see a car get into the middle of that huge crowd.”

Mr. Whitford explained, “One rogue vehicle, driven in on purpose or by accident, could create a tragedy of mammoth proportions. So being able to prevent that using our barriers is increasingly becoming the simple answer to a complex problem for many universities across America.”

The Archer 1200 Barrier is made of 700 lbs of American steel, yet it can be easily moved into place by one person. An essential part of any set up is the agreement that Meridian will provide a fully certified vehicle safety mitigation plan (VSMP) to clients to ensure the safest of events.

Meridian provides Archer 1200 Barriers on a regular basis to many other schools including the University of Alabama, University of Tennessee, and the University of Arizona as well as NFL teams such as the Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cincinnati Bengals and Jacksonville Jaguars.

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 or beam gate visit www.meridian-barrier.com.

JUDGES ARE IMPRESSED BY THE SAFETY PLAN FOR ONE OF THE BIGGEST PARADES IN AMERICA

PHOENIX, ARIZONA, November 11, 2021

Protecting more than 800,000 people attending the annual New Year’s Day Rose Parade followed by the Rose Bowl Game in Pasadena, CA is without a doubt one of the toughest security jobs of the year.

Meridian Rapid Defense Group did just that and now Meridian’s Safety Mitigation Plan for those events has won the prestigious Golden Eagle Award at the 2021 National Sports Safety and Security Conference in Phoenix.

Daniel Ward, NCS4 Director of Training and Exercise said, “The Golden Eagle Award is an opportunity to recognize those technologies, services and processes that meet security needs and effectively account for the unique operating environment created by sporting and entertainment events.”

The winner was chosen from three finalists and voted on by the pool of NCS4 participants which included security experts across multiple sports and disciplines. They were asked to take into account everything from relevance to the sport industry, establishing the balance of fan experience while creating a safe crowd environment and the creativity and innovation that leads the industry forward.

Both the Rose Parade and the football game are designated by the Department of Homeland Security as (SEAR)-1-level security events. The Meridian security plan covered a large geographic footprint and a complex traffic scenario that required coordination and consensus-building at the local, state, and federal levels.

After accepting the award Eric Alms, Meridian’s President explained that MRDG’s plan was a significant improvement in security effectiveness with Meridian deploying 443 Archer 1200 barriers across three primary locations: the Rose Bowl Stadium, the parade route and the command center.

“Past events relied on traffic management products such as water barriers and type 3 barricades which aren’t certified to stop errant vehicles and using those is just not good enough these days,” said Mr. Alms.

“We are very proud to win this award because it’s great recognition for all of our Meridian staff who worked day and night before and after the events to ensure that everyone at both the parade and the football game had an enjoyable and most importantly, a safe time.”

Archer barriers are SAFETY Act-certified and crash test rated to stop hostile vehicles while also being both mobile and modular. This allowed for the event perimeter to be closed in a fraction of the time and reopened to regular traffic flow quickly.

Meridian staged the barriers along the parade route and at the stadium a week before the event, allowing law enforcement, local businesses, and the public to become familiar with the new solution. Fliers were distributed to every business near deployment, and company websites were showcased on the barriers to allow people to familiarize themselves with the product.

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

CALIFORNIAN CITY PUTS SECURITY OF COMMUNITY FIRST AND FOREMOST

PASADENA, CA, US, October 11, 2021 As the host of one of the world’s greatest street parades, Pasadena, CA takes no chances in keeping safe the close to one million attendees. Once again, the city has chosen Meridian Rapid Defense Group to be part of the solution.

This week the City of Pasadena agreed to purchase another set of Meridian anti-terrorism vehicle barriers and a trailer for use at the Tournament of Roses Parade which is held every New Year’s Day and for the many other events throughout the city.

A city official explained, “Vehicle mitigation strategies are a necessity as vehicle assaults are one of the primary forms of attack at large events and gatherings by Home Grown Violent Extremists (HGVE) and/or terrorists.”

The official pointed out that in 2018 and 2019, the Pasadena Police Department utilized Archer 1200 Anti-Terrorism Vehicle Barriers to secure the Rose Bowl Parade route after discovering that the security being provided by water filled barriers was inadequate.

Security was stepped up for all events in Pasadena starting with the Rose Parade after a driver deliberately drove a truck into the Christmas market next to the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin in December 2016. The incident claimed the lives of 12 people and injured 56 others.

“Pasadena has been at the forefront of pedestrian security,” said Meridian CEO Peter Whitford. “At the most recent Rose Parade we were chosen to secure the entire parade route using more than 400 of our mobile Archer 1200 Barriers.”

“The city was most impressed with how quickly all of the barriers were staged in the hours before the parade and just as quickly removed after it was all over allowing traffic to flow again freely,” he said.

City leaders were told: “It is in the city’s best interest to award the purchase order to Meridian Rapid Defense Group, LLC as the barriers will help to mitigate any potential HGVE attacks and other vehicle incursions into secure areas.”

Meridian’s Archer 1200 Barriers are made of 700 lbs. of USA made steel, and are Homeland Security Certified safe and can be quickly wheeled into place by one person.

Meridian Rapid Defense Group rents and sells barriers throughout the U.S., Canada, Australia and Europe.

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

TORONTO, CANADA, September 24, 2021

Tens of thousands of people on foot and on bikes are expected to be on Lake Shore Boulevard this weekend and Safeguard Perimeter Solutions is joining the city in ensuring they arrive and go home safely.

For the first time more than 40 unique mobile barriers will be rolled out to create safe zones on Lake Shore Boulevard. The company will also set up two Archer Beam Gates which can snare an out-of-control vehicle. The beam gates will provide access for emergency and city vehicles.

The usual large numbers of Toronto residents and visitors, who have been making the most of ActiveTO (the city’s popular safe streets project) will be boosted with the start of BigArtTO, where temporary public artworks are projected onto local buildings and landmarks.

“We’ll be using the same Archer 1200 mobile barriers that were used in Washington D.C. in January during the Presidential Inauguration. You’ll also see them at many other major events throughout North America,” said Shaine Moore of Safeguard Perimeter Solutions.

“With so many people walking and biking they can be reassured that no car or truck, whether by accident or on purpose, can break through the new safety cordon that these barriers will provide. And now with the start of BigArtTO there’ll be even more folks out there checking out the artwork, so keeping them all safe is our number one priority,” he said.

Barbara Gray, General Manager of Toronto City’s Transportation Services said, “Our city program now gives people the opportunity to walk and bike and get out during these times of COVID-19. So, we want to make sure we are providing protective facilities and therefore do it safely.”

Mr. Moore pointed out that the real attraction for cities such as Toronto is that the Archer 1200 Barriers can be moved into place by just one person unlike other temporary barriers which need heavy lifting equipment.

The Archer 1200 Barriers, manufactured by Meridian Rapid Defense Group, are made of 320 kilos of solid steel and will stop a speeding car or truck, yet once placed pedestrians can easily move, unobstructed, past them. They are SAFETY Act Certified by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

During the height of the COVID-19 outbreak the Archer Barriers were also used to create a “no vehicle” restaurant and shopping zone at the tourist hot spot in Centre Street at Niagara Falls. Once again, this year they will be used at the NFL Super Bowl as well as NBA and MLB games.

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 visit www.meridian-barrier.com