New Orleans’ Journey to the Gold Standard in Security

Over 17 million tourists travel to New Orleans each year to partake in events around the year, including Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest. Tourism contributes about 40% of the city's operating budget. The January 1, 2025, terrorist attack on Bourbon Street put the city's finances in jeopardy. City leaders needed to urgently address the security failures to reassure the public that the city was safe and ready to host the Super Bowl just 47 days later.

With the Super Bowl designated as a Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) 1 event, local, state, and federal authorities collaborated with Meridian Rapid Defense Group to implement advanced security measures (New York Times).

This white paper examines how New Orleans addressed critical infrastructure protection, post-incident recovery, and barrier protection strategies to create a comprehensive security model. By leveraging SAFETY Act-certified solutions, including Archer 1200 barriers, Meridian played a pivotal role in fortifying New Orleans’ security framework (The Guardian).

The Context: January 1, 2025, and Its Security Implications

The Attack

On January 1, 2025, a terrorist attack on Bourbon Street resulted in 14 fatalities and over 50 injuries (CNN). The attacker, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, used a rented electric Ford F-150 Lightning to breach a pedestrian zone, taking advantage of the city's security infrastructure vulnerabilities (Fox 8 Live).

New Findings: Security Failures & Lessons Learned

The attack revealed three critical weaknesses:

• Failure of hydraulic bollards offline for scheduled replacement (NBC Chicago).
• 700-pound anti-vehicle barriers were available but weren't deployed to prevent the attack (NBC Chicago, La Illuminator).
• Insufficient layers of security to prevent vehicle-based threats (The Guardian).

Super Bowl SEAR 1 Designation

In response to the attack, federal authorities reclassified Super Bowl LIX as a SEAR 1 event, requiring heightened security measures (New York Times). This led to a multi-agency effort to:

• Increase vehicle mitigation strategies to prevent unauthorized access (Fox 8 Live).
• Enhance law enforcement coordination at all entry points (The Guardian).
• Deploy advanced security perimeters and controlled access zones (NBC Chicago).

Recognizing the urgent need for a rapid, practical solution, the city engaged Meridian Rapid Defense Group to help secure key locations using Archer 1200 barriers (EIN Presswire).

Strengthening New Orleans’ Security Infrastructure

Creating a Vehicle Safety Mitigation Plan (VSMP)

Meridian's VSMP SaaS provides a turnkey solution that enables the user to optimize barrier placement based on site-specific factors such as road access, pedestrian density, and potential vehicle threats. This approach allows cities to establish protective perimeters without disrupting the flow of people and traffic to ensure that major events remain secure and accessible (Meridian VSMP).

SAFETY Act Certification

Authorities used the VSMP to:

• Strategically place Archer 1200 barriers to mitigate high-risk entry points (The Guardian).
• Ensure that the security plan met the Department of Homeland Security’s SAFETY Act certification requirements, which reduced liability risks for event organizers.
• Adapt security protocols dynamically, ensuring protection without disrupting event logistics.

The VSMP approach was also successfully used at the Rose Parade, another SEAR 1-designated event, showcasing its effectiveness in large-scale security planning (EIN Presswire).

Defining the Gold Standard in Security Planning

Historically, the Gold Standard for security has been defined by using certified vehicle protection barriers that meet DHS SAFETY Act requirements. However, in today's changing threat landscape, relying on a single crash test certification is no longer enough. Vehicle threats vary in size, weight, and speed, and a one-size-fits-all approach does not work. What must be avoided is using a mix-and-match approach—combining concrete barriers, water barriers, and uncertified products—which only increases liability risks in an incident. The true Gold Standard guarantees that all equipment used meets the same rigorous DHS SAFETY Act certification, providing consistency in liability protection and security reliability.

Public Awareness Campaigns

City officials reassured the public by balancing security measures with event enjoyment by:

• Educating visitors on new security protocols and entry checkpoints.
• Providing real-time security updates through mobile alerts and public announcements.
• Maintaining an open line of communication between event organizers and the public (Fox 8 Live).

Lessons from New Orleans

Future Applications

Meridian’s security strategy in New Orleans provides key takeaways for managing high-profile events. Its method for protecting crowds from hostile and errant vehicles works for parades, marathons, sporting events, festivals, and concerts. With SAFETY Act-certified solutions like the Archer 1200 barrier, cities create safer pedestrian zones and keep traffic flowing in event areas. New Orleans and the Rose Parade show that a well-planned Vehicle Safety Mitigation Plan (VSMP) reduces vehicle threats while keeping urban spaces functional. (Meridian Rapid Defense Group).

Beyond meeting HVM standards, Meridian is uniquely positioned as the only company with solutions that align with HVM (Hostile Vehicle Mitigation) certification and DOT MASH standards. While HVM standards ensure a vehicle stops within a prescribed distance, DOT MASH certification ensures the driver survives the impact. This dual certification sets a higher standard for security planning by safeguarding vehicle occupants, pedestrians, and critical infrastructure.

Security as an Ongoing Process: After-Action Reporting & Continuous Improvement

Ensuring public safety is an ongoing effort that does not stop once an event concludes. After every event, the security process continues through after-action reporting, assessing what worked and refining the strategy for future events. The integration of the best VSMP software planning tools allows agencies to analyze real-world deployments and make continuous improvements, ensuring that each new event builds upon the lessons of the last. The Gold Standard is not static—it is refined after every deployment to make security smarter and more effective.

Conclusion & Implications

New Orleans' security transformation following the January 1, 2025, attack set a new gold standard in urban security planning. The city successfully secured its most high-profile event to date through a collaborative approach, integrating SAFETY Act-certified solutions and proactive risk mitigation strategies (New York Times).