Don't get burned by playground equipment in the intense heat!
SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Most playgrounds and parks in Michiana were empty Thursday, but those that beat the heat learned pretty quickly that what they’re playing on can turn from just hot to dangerous.
Some playground equipment was hot enough to burn skin.
“I like playing at the park, but next time I will not come here when it’s 100 degrees,” says Juliana Payne, who visited the Riverfront Park in Niles.
The intense heat is making even the toughest of playtime troopers stay inside Thursday.
“I didn’t get to go outside today at recess, I just had to stay inside because it was too hot,” says Raelynn Mason, who was at Howard Park Thursday.
Summer safety risks go further than just heat exhaustion or dehydration.
“One of the things we don’t maybe necessarily think about is yeah the equipment our kids are going to play on is going to be hot,” warns Robin Vida, Director of Health Outreach, Promotion and Education, Saint Joseph County Department of Health.
“I slid down the slide and it was really hot,” says Payne.
At Riverfront Park in Niles, a heat gun read temperatures up to 129 and 141 on slides and swings that were basking in the sun.
At 140 degrees, it only takes three seconds to get a second-degree burn, according to the American Burn Association. As little as five seconds of contact could cause a third-degree burn.
“We have to also remember children have thinner skin than adults do, and there’s just more risk for a burn,” Vida advises.
It's not just something to keep in mind during extreme heat like Thursday's.
Although rare, the Consumer Product Safety Commission reported a plastic slide causing a second-degree burn on a 74-degree day.
“We’re just staying hydrated, drinking plenty of water, letting the kids get wet, and just soaking up sun and letting them play,” says Tamiya Phillips, a parent at Howard Park.
South Bend Venues Parks and Arts tells ABC57 they have several staff members that monitor the parks and make sure everyone’s doing okay in the heat.