It takes a lot of splashing, yelling, screaming and enough general commotion to attract the attention of the film’s heroic lead, who will leap in and bring the would-be drowning victim to the beach, where –  for a few heart-stopping moments – they will remain still, then cough twice and make a rapid recovery.

Away from the film set, drowning is very different.

It is silent and fast. Terrifyingly silent and terrifyingly fast. A small child can drown in as little as 20 seconds.

In the last 15 years, 91 children under the age of five have drowned in NSW backyard pools.

Drowning remains one of the biggest – if not the biggest – accidental killer of young children in Australia.

Given just quickly small children can slip away unnoticed and how quickly a drowning can happen, it is timely to reinforce the importance of pool fencing.

A 15-year study by Royal Lifesaving Australia has identified inadequate pool fencing, a gate being left propped open or, worst of all, no fencing at all as an issue in 88 per cent of drownings of young children in backyard pools.

Anyone who has been around young children will know exactly how fast they can be. And how quiet.

Little people who spend their days trying to create their own sonic boom are also capable of moving like ninjas.

Most parents would be familiar with the experience of going to the loo and returning three minutes later to a find a dozen eggs cracked onto the kitchen floor, or some other such scene of mayhem.

It is that experience that should emphasise the importance of pool fencing.

It’s been said that no supervised child ever drowned, and one would imagine that is entirely accurate.

But no child can be watched constantly. At some point, parents are going to need to take their eyes off their child, and that’s when the proper safety measures kick in.

There is no such thing as too much when it comes to pool security.

No, it’s not just about pools. There have been tragic incidents of children drowning in baths and even nappy buckets.

But those lovely big sparkling pools are very appealing to children.

They don’t understand adult schedules and routines. They just want to get back into that pool for more splashing.

We cannot watch our children 24 hours a day. But we can try to anticipate areas of danger. And, sadly, pools do hold the potential for great risk.

Pool fencing has long been recognised as a deterrent against a lot of potential tragedies, so let’s get the fences up.

Most people already know the importance of pool fencing, and happily adhere to the regulations.

But there are others who may not see the need, or who are simply busy and haven’t kept up to date with any changes to the rules.

It is these people who need a gentle reminder as the importance of expecting the unexpected.

Fencing that is wonky or old, gates left propped open, or even a garden chair left near enough to the pool to be utilised by an enterprising toddler are all potential risks.

Inconvenience and cost are nothing when compared to safeguarding human life.

Jody Lindbeck

jody.lindbeck@fairfaxmedia.com.au