Covering 14 city blocks and including more than 850 vendors, the event puts more than 100,000 people on the Carlsbad Village Streets.

CARLSBAD, CA, US, May 2, 2019 /EINPresswire.com/ -- This weekend, the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce will embark on its 45th annual Village Faire, an event which draws 100,000 people into the main shopping district of Carlsbad Village. This year’s event will include a full perimeter of vehicle mitigation provided by MERIDIAN®’s Archer® 1200 barrier. With nearly 100 barriers covering 14 city blocks, visitors will enjoy a day of full street access protected by state-of-the-art security recently designated as a qualified technology under the Federal SAFETY Act.

Security and operations planning for the event, hosted by the Carlsbad Chamber, has been underway for months. Stakeholders include the city of Carlsbad, local law enforcement, emergency services, and nearly 850 vendor participants.

“The Street Faire grows in size every year and draws folks from all over California and neighboring states,” said Carlsbad Chamber CEO Bret Schanzenbach. “Given the sheer footprint of the event, we spend a great deal of time planning logistics and security.”

Schanzenbach, who has a long history with large scale street events, knows the importance of a safe environment. “We want to make sure that all of our visitors can focus on having a great day in one of California’s finest coastal communities. As event hosts, it is our job to create and implement the best possible security plan using the best possible solutions.”

As the largest single-day street faire in the country, the event encompasses Grand Ave as well as several major cross streets. Perimeter enclosure for the Street Faire will utilize a fleet of MERIDIAN® barriers purchased by the city as well as additional barriers supplied by MERIDIAN® Rental Solutions.

MERIDIAN®’s Archer® 1200 is a portable drop&stop vehicle barrier that has been rated to both U.S. and European standards. The barrier employs advanced engineering to achieve the optimal blend of effectiveness with ease of deployment.

“I am thoroughly impressed with the proactive approach to public safety that the Carlsbad Police Department has displayed for this event.,” said Schanzenbach. “It is no longer enough to set out cones, fencing or water barriers that have no capacity to stop vehicle encroachment. We need a solution that is built for the problem and has demonstrated the ability to protect lives. I couldn’t be happier with the Carlsbad Police Department’s selection of The MERIDIAN® products.”

MERIDIAN®’s Archer® 1200 barriers have seen recent use for large-scale SEAR (Special Events Assessment Rating) Level 1 events like the Tournament of Roses Parade and Game as well as Super Bowl LIII. The product, as well as MERIDIAN®’s deployment training, was awarded SAFETY Act designation this year. The Congressional Act, established in the wake of 9/11, specifies Qualified Anti-Terrorism Technologies [QATTs] which receive liability protections in the event of a terrorist attack. MERIDIAN®, as well as its customers, receive the protection from claims.

“Our business is simple,” said MERIDIAN® CEO Peter Whitford. “We make people, communities and places safer. We are thrilled to be working with the Carlsbad Chamber and the city of Carlsbad to ensure that this hallmark event is a success – that begins with the right equipment and the right plan of action.”

Malicious vehicle attacks continue to be a rising tactic with radical groups. According to Mineta Transportation Institute's National Transportation Safety and Security Center, there have been nearly 80 car-ramming attacks over the past four decades, with 30 of them happening the last two years. Just this month, authorities in the Baltimore-DC area foiled a plot by a suspected radical who had stolen a U-Haul truck with plans to run down crowds at an airport or tourist location. His reported plan was to identify a location that would garner the most media attention.

"I was just going to keep driving and driving and driving," suspect Rondell Henry told investigators, according to court records. "I wasn't going to stop."

For more information about MERIDIAN® Rapid Defense Group (a Pasadena-based company) or the Archer® 1200 Vehicle Barrier, visit www.betterbarriers.com.

Syd Smith
Meridian Rapid Defense Group
+1 323-217-5257
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