SAFER HOLIDAY EVENTS COURTESY OF MERIDIAN

POLICE SGT EXPLAINS HOW MOBILE VEHICLE BARRIERS ALLOW FOR OFFICERS TO FOCUS ON OTHER DUTIES

PASADENA, CA, UNITED STATES, December 24, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Tragedy has already struck this holiday season with the deadly Christmas Market crash in Germany. Protecting crowds has become a critical feature of event planning and this holiday season Meridian Rapid Defense Group has been working alongside city officials, helping ensure holiday and sporting events across the U.S. have been made a whole lot safer. Several parades, holiday fairs and sporting events are being secured using Meridian’s Archer 1200 Barrier systems and gates.

In Bakersfield, CA. authorities took extra care with planning and security following another tragic incident last year when a drunk driver crashed into a crowd of Christmas parade attendees. Three people ended up in the hospital as a result.

Prior to this year’s parade Bakersfield Police Sergeant Eric Celedon showed members of the media how the barriers worked. “If a vehicle tried to breach our perimeter, this is where it would strike,” he said, pointing out the front of the barrier. “In striking the face of the Archer 1200 it’s going to tip forward, causing the vehicle to tip up and prevent it from advancing.”

Sgt. Celedon said the barriers would not only protect crowds by blocking vehicles getting onto the parade route but also allow Bakersfield police to better place officers where they are needed and protected.

“We don’t have to man the intersections with an officer or a vehicle now. Being able to take the officer out of that scenario is invaluable, not only for keeping our community safe but also for keeping our officers safe,” he said.

In Roanoke, VA. a beloved holiday tradition, the “Dickens of a Christmas” kicked off three weeks of fun including a Christmas tree lighting, all behind the safety of Archer 1200 mobile barriers. The annual Herndon “Winter Market” in Virginia was another city where Meridian’s barriers were used. The market provides an engaging and authentic European holiday experience and with those large crowds every day securing a safe pedestrian zone was important.

In Las Vegas, at the Formula One Grand Prix once again Meridian barriers and gates were rolled out onto the streets to create safe pedestrian zones. The mobility of the barriers was the real attraction for the event organizers.

“This is one of our busiest periods,” said Meridian CEO Peter Whitford. “In Las Vegas they needed our one-off designed mobile barriers because they could be quickly rolled in and out to open and close off the streets several times a day.”

Prior to the events, Meridian works with planners on a Vehicle Safety Mitigation Plan (VSMP). By using Meridian’s latest technology, a full mapping of the event space and location of security points is created, so on the day the set-up is clear, concise, and quickly carried out.

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

Eric Alms
Meridian Rapid Defense Group
+1 213-400-9811
email us here
Visit us on social media:
Facebook
X
LinkedIn
Instagram
YouTube