The V.F.D., or Volunteer Fire Department, is a secret and mysterious organization in A Series of Unfortunate Events and All the Wrong Questions, which Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire become increasingly more aware of and involved with after their first encounter with the villainous member Count Olaf. As the series continues, the reader learns that the organization, once whole and noble, has been divided by a schism between the followers of the organization's original principles, and those who follow principles completely opposed to the original V.F.D.
The organization's insignia appears to be an eye made up of the letters 'V', 'F', and 'D'. V.F.D. is the main international organization within the Series of Unfortunate Events books. Most of the recurring characters in said series are members.
The image you see up here is an image with multiple possible logo, a VFD spyglass possibly to test what logo would be best on it, explanation of the logo and a Morse code which here say VFD, a mini sun with an arrow pointing at the spyglass and at bottom 3 logo which will be used.
We believe in an aristocracy. Not an aristocracy of power, based on rank or wealth, but an aristocracy of the sensitive, the considerate, and the plucky. Our members are found in all nations and classes, and all through the ages, and there is a secret understanding between us when we meet. We represent the true human tradition, the one permanent victory over cruelty and chaos. We're an invincible army, but not a victorious one. We've had different names throughout history, but all the words that describe us are false, and all attempts to organize us fail. Right now we're called V.F.D., but all our schisms and arguments might cause us to disappear. It won't matter. People like us always slip through the net. Our true home is the imagination, and our kingdom is the wide-open world.
”
— Lemony Snicket in Shouldn't You Be in School?, paraphrasing E. M. Forster
V.F.D. makes sure the world remains, literally and figuratively, 'extinguished and quiet'. The organization goes to great lengths to conceal all traces of its activities through the use of complex disguises and codes. Lemony Snicket revealed that they primarily put out fires, but they also carry out other humanitarian acts.
In The Penultimate Peril, Kit Snicket explains that "V.F.D. was once a united group of volunteers, trying to extinguish fires - both literally and figuratively. But now, there are two groups of bitter enemies."
Little is known about V.F.D.'s past before the split; Kit believes that it was a wonderful time of learning, though it is apparent that some volunteers apparently had child servants before the schism, implying that it may not have been as wonderful as volunteers such as Kit Snicket claimed it to be.[2] Such examples might have been some of the initial differences between members that led up to the schism.
The schism is an incident that occurred within V.F.D. that broke up the members into two sides: The Fire-Starting Side, and the Fire-Fighting side. As stated by Kit Snicket, those sides are literal and figurative. For example, the Fire-Starting Side not only commits arson on certain occasions but generally causes panic and mayhem wherever they go, while the fire-fighting side not only works as a fire department literally, putting out fires, but also figuratively, by calming people down and making the world a quieter place. The way the schism was fought out is not known, but it's possible it was fought using various animals (including reptiles, birds, fish, and large carnivorous mammals), fire, water, and miscellaneous weaponry of sorts such as harpoon guns.
It is noted that the schism began when Kit Snicket was four and the Denouement triplets were almost five,[4] though it seems to have worsened as they grew older,[1] as there is barely mention of a separation during Lemony's apprenticeship, but it has become a nearly insurmountable obstacle when the Baudelaires are orphaned.
Recruitment[]
Volunteers are recruited by V.F.D. at a very young age if they are seen by other volunteers to be observant, well-read, and excel in activities such as note taking, even those currently at apprenticeship.[5] Neophytes, or young trainees of V.F.D., are carried away by their ankles in the middle of the night.
On the day you officially join the organization, you will hear a noise outside your home. It may sound like the howling of a wolf, the cawing of a crow (names many different sounds), or the turning of a page. The noise will come in the middle of the night, the middle of the morning, or, in very rare cases, late in the afternoon. Ask your parents what the noise was. If they reply "nothing," they are replying in code, because there is never "nothing" outside one's home. If you are interested in volunteering, answer your parents with the following question: 'if there's nothing out there, what was that noise?' We will be listening, and will know it is safe to act.
”
Letter to J about a possible recruit.
Children will be dragged out the window by the ankle, into a long, black car. Recruitment has also been known to occur when a taxi driver attempts to show his passenger a photograph of you as a baby, something that notably happened in The Reptile Room. It is also mentioned that children without a parent or guardian will be contacted in a more direct way.[1]
While it is claimed that the children are taken with parents' permission, there are some clues that may lead some to believe this a false statement; neophytes seem to rarely, if ever, see their parents after recruitment, and The Unauthorized Autobiography includes photos of a boy in a park, taken secretly, in hopes of recruiting the child. It is also mentioned that E. Snicket (and presumably her husband, Jacob) was unaware of when her children would be taken,[1] and the Denouement parents seem to have been not expecting their children's recruitment, as they were preparing for the triplets' birthday, and their house suspiciously burnt down after the boys were taken by the Volunteers.[4]
Following their kidnapping, children are isolated from people they know and scattered across the globe, assigned to strangers to perform perplexing errands. Once "their ankles have healed", the organization knows they can be trusted and obedient, and the authorities have stopped searching for them, they are taken to headquarters.[1]
Neophytes go to the V.F.D. Headquarters where each is given a commonplace book and trained throughout childhood and into adulthood in a particular topic that interested them. According to Captain Widdershins, "V.F.D. isn't just a fire department. Aye–it started that way. But the volunteers were interested in every such thing!"
Before the schism, Volunteers were required to get a tattoo of the V.F.D. insignia on their left ankles, but afterward, they found it hard to know who was who while in disguises, because if they had a tattoo, they could be on either side, and because the insignia was only shown off by the fire-starters after the schism, the tattoo was associated with that side of V.F.D., causing problems.
When a volunteer graduates, they are to choose their chaperone and become an apprentice to them. Apprenticeship should involve learning from their chaperone in an area of interest. Potential apprentices can choose their chaperones from a list of chaperones, ranked by their success in their various endeavors.[5] It is unknown how long apprenticeship lasts or how it ends. After apprenticeship, Volunteers are expected to take jobs or go into the field.[1][6]
The V.F.D. utilizes several codes for communication between Volunteers. After the schism, however, both sides continued to use the same codes, so it is very difficult, if not impossible, to tell if the member using the code is on the Fire-Fighting or the Fire-Starting side.
Several books are required reading for apprentices, which contain codes and clues hidden inside.[1]
Members of the Fire-Fighting Side are known as Volunteers. This faction of the organization prizes virtues like being well-read, arriving early, and drinking bitter tea. The majority of adult members of this side have been murdered by the time of Beatrice Baudelaire II's birth, typically by the fire-starting side. (see: The Fire-Starting Side)
This faction is home to those V.F.D. Volunteers who favor arson, hoard money, and commit murder as they please. Since the schism, they appear to have more resources than the other half of V.F.D and to have more associates throughout the public (e.g. the police and the press). The majority of the members of this side have either been killed or have left the organization.
Known Members []
Count Olaf and his Troupe who are Part of the Fire starting Side
These names are seen in a V.F.D. tunnel in the TV series, implying their connection to the organization:
Remora - as he defends the Baudelaires during their trial, he could potentially be on the Fire-fighting side
Julienne - she slanders the Baudelaires in her articles and is known to follow orders from Esmé,[1] so she is likely on the Fire-Starting side.
Roy Hardwood, who was only mentioned in a very brief flash of a book in the Netflix series, might be part of the Fire-Starting side, as he was suspected of starting the Lucky Smells Lumbermill fire.
"The world is quiet here" is the motto of V.F.D.[1] It functions as a password[7] and marks a letter or item as connected to V.F.D. It is also the phrase volunteers use to mark their allegiance in the field.
The phrase, in-universe, can be heard in the song "The Little Snicket Lad", which was written about Lemony Snicket's recruitment.[1]
The last four lines of the eleventh (second-to-last) stanza are also used as a code in order to communicate the Last Safe Place.[2]
From too much love of living,
From hope and fear set free,
We thank with brief thanksgiving
Whatever gods may be
That no life lives for ever;
That dead men rise up never;
That even the weariest river
Winds somewhere safe to sea.
Safe places[]
A V.F.D. safe place is, as Kit Snicket remarks, where volunteers can safely gather "to exchange information, discuss plans to defeat our enemies and return books we borrowed from one another." Before the schism, there were innumerable safe places around the globe, such as bookstores, banks, restaurants, stationery stores, cafés, laundromats, opium dens, geodesic domes, etc.
The V.F.D. Insignia (seen above) is an eye made from the letters 'V,' 'F,' and 'D.' Any member of V.F.D. who joined before the schism has a tattoo of the eye on their left ankle. After the schism, the practice of tattooing members desisted.
2004 Film Divergent Canon[]
I am NOT a MONKEY!
The following article or section concerns information that is considered even less canonical than the chance of a happy ending. Any information following should not be used as a source for the canon of the book series.
The V.F.D. eye in the film; no acronym is present.
The V.F.D. Spyglass is introduced in this adaptation and carried on into the later Netflix series, in which all members of the organization carry a personalized spyglass.
While not much is known about V.F.D. in the canon of the film, it is stated that Beatrice and Bertrand Baudelaire were the leaders of the group. It is also heavily implied by Monty that there is a Volunteer sanctuary in Peru, and heavily implied by Josephine that Olaf murdered the Baudelaire Parents because they knew too much.
The eye symbol (rather infamously) does not have the acronym hidden inside. Instead, it heavily focuses on the eye aspect of the symbol, despite the fact that the symbol itself is supposed to represent the letters VFD.
In the console version of the video game adaptation, V.F.D. sends the Baudelaires a package in Olaf's house with a parachute. It says it is from the "Very Fast Delivery" service, although the V.F.D. eye is seen stamped in its logo which, curiously, uses the eye in the books. It has a telegram which warns the Baudelaires to be wary of Olaf and says evidence is being collected of wrongdoings. It implores the Baudelaires to find more evidence and "when assembled, all will be revealed."
Netflix Series Divergent Canon[]
You started VFD?
The following article or section concerns information that is considered canonical to the Netflix series, but it is unknown as to where it stands in the books' canon. It may also contain information contradictory to the books. Be very cautious when using this information as a source, or you may end up reporting for The Daily Punctilio, or on the lam. Whichever you consider worse.
The Netflix V.F.D. eye.
In the canon of the Netflix series, it is revealed that Ishmael founded the organization to make the world a quieter, less evil and safer place, hence their motto, "The world is quiet here." Kidnapping-based recruitment is not mentioned; instead, Ishmael claims that he would recruit children from Prufrock Preparatory School who seemed interested in learning.[3]
The Volunteers have several underground tunnels,[20] with signs pointing out exits, as well as a book on all their activities- The Incomplete History of Secret Organizations.[21][22] If you look closely at the Sugar Bowl page,[23] it says, "...the truth is that these differences have been churning under the surface of V.F.D. for some time, even going back to the organization's very name." This could possibly hint that the members who would start the fire-starting side didn't like the "Fire Department" part of the name because they had grown bored of fighting fires. Ironically, both sides of the schism represent an interpretation of the phrase "fire department"
In this canon, the schism occurred after Beatrice and Lemony caused the death of Olaf's father and stole the Sugar Bowl from an enraged Esmé Squalor, which caused both of them to turn to more dangerous activities; specifically, for Olaf, he fell under the influence of the Woman With Hair But No Beard and the Man With a Beard but No Hair.[24]
It is mentioned that the organization had disintegrated by the time Beatrice Baudelaire II finds Lemony Snicket.[3]
Trivia[]
In France, V.F.D. is instead called V.D.C. due to French translation. It even has a slightly modified version of the eye symbol to fit the letters. In Italy, V.F.D. is called V.F., although the eye symbol was not altered from the original illustrations. In Sweden, V.F.D is instead called FBK (frivilliga brandkåren).
Translating every instance of V.F.D. into different languages is one of the difficulties the translators go through, as terms such as "Volunteer Fire Department", "Very Fancy Doilies", etc, don't have the same initials in every language.
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