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Group Warns Playground Equipment Can Reach Dangerous Temperatures

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Seeking relief from the heat at the playground can pose certain hazards.

Temperatures can reach more than 170 degrees on artificial turf fields and over 160 degrees on black rubber safety surfacing, according to readings taken by the watchdog group NYC Park Advocates.

Dozens of children are treated each year at the city's burn centers for playground injuries caused by equipment reaching dangerous temperatures.

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"It takes a second for a child to take off his or her shoes, it takes a few seconds to get burned," Geoffrey Croft, with the NYC Park Advocates, told 1010 WINS. "Young kids freeze when they feel heat, an older child runs away, but a younger child doesn't."

Children should avoid walking with bare feet on the artificial turf and stay away from metal slides, which could also cause severe burns.

Doctors also advise children drink lots of liquids and be kept in shaded areas, if possible, while at the playground.

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