Beaches and rivers become the focus as the weather heats up and residents venture outdoors to cool down for a swim. 

Safety demonstrations and awareness campaigns go a long way to try and reduce the number of drownings at public swimming venues but one Riverina resident believes we are ignoring the biggest danger – our backyards.

It is a requirement of backyard swimming pool owners to have a CPR chart near their pool and for their fences to meet a certain height requirement.

But there is no chart to prevent what she says is one of the biggest concerns, shallow water blackout, a loss of consciousness under water from lack of oxygen to the brain.

Until now.

Charts are being installed at multiple pools in the Riverina in the hopes it will spread the message about the dangers of holding your breath under water as a competition or the affects holding your breath for long unnecessarily for long periods of time can have.

It is a silly and senseless game that can have life-threatening consequences.

Pools, beaches and rivers are dangerous enough without running the risk of losing consciousness under water through a game.

It is a terrifying thought, losing a child or loved one to a drowning.

The feeling of helplessness would be overwhelming.

So this Riverina resident is campaigning to ensure no other families endure what hers has.

Even the most experienced swimmer can be overcome by the water or waves in a moment of surprise or panic.

Your reaction times and thought processes are compromised in moments when you fear for your life or are taken unaware.

The most frightening aspect of shallow water blackout is that it really doesn’t matter what your level of skill is around the water, anyone can succumb to it.

There are plenty of situations that are unavoidable – rips, snags, waves and currents – that are dangerous, that we often get swept up in through no fault of our own.

But this one is avoidable.

As we venture outside this summer, be mindful of what you do have control of to ensure you’re safe this holiday season because it’s heartbreaking to hear of drownings in the region.