Bourbon Street Protection

Bourbon Street Protection

Training and Planning with Archer Barriers

Training and Planning with Archer Barriers

BOURBON ST PROTECTED AGAINST FURTHER VEHICLE ATTACKS

The coalition we have had with the New Orleans Police has shown the importance of working together to make for safer streets.”
— Peter Whitford, Meridian CEO

NEW ORLEANS, LA, UNITED STATES, January 22, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Meridian Rapid Defense Group is working with the New Orleans Police Department to continue to create safe pedestrian areas in the city using its highly rated Archer 1200 Mobile Barriers and gates to protect the iconic Bourbon Street tourist destination.

The tragic attack on New Year’s Eve, where a terrorist driving an electric truck killed 14 people and injured dozens more, was the worst vehicle born attack in the history of the United States. Soon after, Meridian teams arrived in the city to work alongside the police to roll out and correctly set 69 Archer 1200 Mobile Barriers at the many intersections along Bourbon Street, as well as the Archer Rapid Gate on Canal Street. 

Peter Whitford, CEO of Meridian Rapid Defense Group said, “Our job here is to help the city. We were welcomed to the city by members of the New Orleans police and immediately joined them for several meetings on Bourbon Street. That also involved retraining the officers on how to set the Archers correctly.”

“When you come to an environment where there’s been a shocking tragedy like this, there are many delicate issues to deal with,” said Mr. Whitford. “So, we are working with the mayor, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and of course the police. The coalition we have had with the New Orleans Police has shown the importance of working together to make for safer streets. But first and foremost, for Meridian, our plan was to provide New Orleans with a safety perimeter that works for them.”

It was critical to get a correct safety plan known as a VSMP™ (a Vehicle Safety Mitigation Plan) for New Orleans, considering the annual Mardi Gras season was about to start and then in early February to be followed by the NFL’s Super Bowl.

Soon after the New Year’s Day tragedy, Mayor LaToya Cantrell announced that Mardi Gras had been upgraded to a SEAR-1 security event, a top rating given to events of national or international importance. This change means federal agencies will now provide more help and resources to keep the city safe during the celebrations.

New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said the Carnival will be the safest in the city’s history and said she will continue to lead New Orleans toward its safety goals. “I do plan to make us into one of the safest cities from any kind of terrorist attack or any other attack that the world will know. I plan to lead us forward in your public safety so you will have great confidence,” she said.

Meridian has now provided the City of New Orleans with a number of Vehicle Safety Mitigation Plans which suggest how each of the pedestrian heavy areas of the city can be secured.

Meridian’s Archer 1200 barriers have been used for large-scale SEAR (Special Events Assessment Rating) Level 1 events such as the Tournament of Roses Parade and Rose Bowl Game, the Presidential Inauguration as well as NFL, MLS, and other locations. The product, as well as Meridian’s deployment training, has been awarded SAFETY Act designation this 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.  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

Easy Deployment of Archer Barriers with the Manual Hauler

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