Fires claimed the lives of 88 people in New York City in 2018, the highest in a calendar year in more than a decade, according to FDNY commissioner Daniel Nigro earlier this year.

To help combat the issue, the FDNY and The Hartford, an investment and insurance company, teamed up with Mets’ infielder J.D. Davis to teach children about fire safety at P.S. 019 Marino Jeantet school in Corona, Queens on Friday.

The Hartford’s Junior Fire Marshal Program has been around for 70-plus years, but over the last three, they have been mobile, appearing at schools around the nation to educate children on what to do in case of a fire.

The students got to go inside a truck, where they encountered certain things that might happen during a fire, such as a door handle being too hot, as well as practicing escaping from a mock fire escape.

“It’s a good program, great program for kids to get some knowledge and help their parents in a fire situation or their peers in a situation,” Davis said. “It’s one of those things that’s important to be exposed to as a young kid, and it’s pretty cool that I can be apart of it.”

Davis, a California native, said that when he was growing up, he was exposed to similar programs and said he always enjoyed the experience. Now, he is the one spreading the message to young children.

“It’s pretty cool,” Davis said. “Just to be [here in New York], give back to the community, meet some of the kids and have a good time.”

Being a professional baseball player, Davis hopes the children remember that they met him in this capacity so the fire education sticks with them.

“Hopefully me being a professional player puts a little more importance on it,” Davis said. “Having public figures make a point of it, or make out how important it is will hopefully have it be like a sponge.”

Jean O’Shea, Executive Director of the FDNY Foundation, said events like these are very important and is happy that it took place on Friday.

“The FDNY and the FDNY Foundation are thrilled to be partnering with The Hartford and with the Mets in Queens to promote fire safety,” O’Shea said. “The Mets have been long time tremendous supporters of the FDNY, and have been key figures in our Queens communities where we have had a number of fire fatalities.”

The Junior Fire Marshal program has already paid great dividends over the years. Now an adult, Ralph Heard of Atlanta’s house caught on fire when he was a kid. He remembered to stop, drop and roll which he learned in the program, was able to put out the flames and then ran back inside to save his family.

According to The Hartford’s website, they have spread their message to over 100 million children, with a goal of five million more by 2022.